Second Stray
by Kamayeth
Summary: The thought that Wild Adapter might never be finished broke my brain. So I gathered up Minekura-sensei's threads, added one of my own, and ran with it. No pairings, rated for language and violence, in keeping with the manga.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Wild Adapter belongs to Kazuya Minekura. My only connection is that I love her beautiful boys. But not in a creepy, stalker kind of way. -blinks innocently**-** _Honest._

A/N: One of the things I love the most about Wild Adapter is the delicious ambiguity of Kubota and Tokito's relationship, so it's something that I've done my best to maintain, even with the addition of another character. I don't intend for my OC to be romantically involved with either of them, but rather to orbit them and, just maybe, become part of the whole "are they or aren't they" question. Hope you enjoy it. Comments welcome!

* * *

Kubota Makoto took a thoughtful drag on his cigarette as he contemplated the stray curled on his couch, marveling that it had been Tokito who'd insisted on bringing her home. But, in retrospect, maybe he really shouldn't have been surprised.

She'd been locked in a cage in the hold of the tanker where Tokito had been held and had been a silent witness to the whole bloody, chaotic affair. Once he'd gotten the piano wire unwound, he'd made to drag his partner bodily to safety and been thoroughly surprised when Tokito pulled out of his grip and knelt by the cage. He was even more surprised to realize there was a girl with Tokito's eyes inside staring back at them in abject fear.

"We can't leave her here, Kubo-chan! She... she's like me."

And so she was, at least for the most part. Her claws were shorter, the fur longer and finer and reaching almost to the elbows on both arms, but it was obvious that she was part of the same twisted drug experiment that Tokito had escaped from. She'd flinched when he'd shot the lock off her prison and hesitated at the proffered freedom, her face filled with distrust, until Tokito had reached out his right hand in invitation and Kubota had watched the doubt in her face fade into a kind of cautious hope, then her hand was in his and they were running again into more blood, more death, more chaos before finally plunging into the waters of Yokohama Bay.

And through it all, their rather morbid conversation, the tense, shivery boat ride with Kou (who barely raised an eyebrow at the newcomer), the oddly ordinary elevator ride, she never made a sound. Once in the apartment, Tokito collapsed on the bed and it took all of Kubota's remaining energy to toss a spare blanket to the girl and tell her she could crash on the couch before following him.

And so here they were.

He glanced up as Tokito made his appearance, hair still damp after a much-needed shower. Kubota frowned at the myriad bruises blooming spectacularly across his partner's face. He felt a flash of rage at Sanada for daring to even _think_ about touching his cat. He squashed it with some effort – he had other things to think about first, but Sanada _would_ pay.

He asked mildly, "Feel better?"

"Yeah, mostly. She still asleep?"

"Yeah."

Tokito came to stand beside him and Kubota gently tossed a companionable arm over his shoulder. They stood that way a moment until Tokito cautiously asked, "She can stay, can't she?"

'As if,' Kubota thought, 'I could deny you anything.' "Yeah."

"Thanks, Kubo-chan."

"Yep. Think I'll start breakfast. Hungry?"

"Starving!" Then, softly, "Hey. You're awake."

Kubota turned to find the girl regarding them solemnly. He hadn't even heard her stir.

Tokito spoke to her softly, like she was a spooked kitten. "Kubo-chan's gonna cook breakfast. You wanna, y'know, shower or something before you – we – um, eat?"

She glanced at Kubota, who gave her a wave and a cheery, "Morning," and was rewarded with a ghost of a smile. He was immensely amused by the blush dusting Tokito's cheeks as she turned back to him and gave a tiny nod.

"Okay, the bathroom's there and there's a ton of clean laundry. You can wear whatever fits you."

Another small smile and a shy duck of her head and she scrambled for the bathroom with Tokito staring after her.

"You do realize the only clothes that might fit her are yours, don't you?"

"Yeah, that's okay. Y'know, until she has her own."

"That's very generous of you."

"I told you before that I have a vast heart."

"Ah, yes. Now I remember."

There was a quiet moment, then Tokito ventured, "She doesn't talk much, does she?"

"Doesn't seem so. It's kind of a nice change."

He waited for that to sink in, smiling when Tokito finally sputtered, "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

They were halfway through breakfast when the bathroom door finally opened and the girl emerged. She stood stock-still at the threshold and seemed for all the world to be scenting the air. This, combined with her tawny coloring, made her resemblance to Siamese cat uncanny. A pair of drawstring shorts and a tank top (both Tokito's) hung from her too-thin frame.

"Hungry?"

Her eyes snapped to the pair at the table and she nodded vigorously. Kubota grabbed his plate, stood and gestured to his empty chair before turning to retrieve the girl's breakfast from the counter. When he turned back around, he was surprised to find the girl already seated. The silence and speed with which she'd moved vaguely unsettled him.

Tokito, on the other hand, was in awe. "That was _so cool!_"

She gave him a confused look.

"The way you moved, all quiet-like. You were over there and then, _poof!_ You were here and I didn't hear ANYTHING! How'd you do that?"

She shrugged somewhat bemusedly.

"Don't you think that was awesome, Kubo-chan?"

"Mm. Poetry in motion." He didn't mention that he'd missed the whole thing as he set a plate in front of the girl. She attacked the food with telling ferocity. Kubota glanced at Tokito, pleased to see that, although he was practically exploding with questions, he had the good grace to at least let the girl get some food in her first. And she needed it. Kubota noted how bony her shoulders were and wondered at himself for picking up another half-starved stray.

It was then that he noticed the myriad scars that covered her shoulders and upper arms and disappeared into the fur just below her elbows. Some were straight and clean, made by something sharp. Some were ragged, like deep scratches, and others were small, perfectly round scars that could only have been cigarette burns.

And he, jaded killer Kubota Makoto, was dumbfounded by the abuse evidenced on this girl. Without thinking, he ran a finger over the uneven surface of her skin and felt her stiffen into perfect stillness at the touch.

"It's alright," he murmured. "I won't hurt you."

She turned to look at him with eyes full of misgiving, then turned to Tokito, who nodded reassurance at her.

"I'm gonna look at your back, okay?"

Kubota expected her to back away from him in fear or to lash out with fists and claws as Tokito had at first, but she simply gathered her hair over one shoulder and turned her attention back to her breakfast, allowing him to do as he wished.

And that bothered him. Still, he felt this was something he needed to do, to _know_, so he lifted her shirt as gently as he could.

Something in his face brought Tokito to his feet asking, "What is it, Kubo-chan?"

He said nothing, instead letting his housemate see for himself the criss-crossing of scars that covered her back.

"Shit," Tokito breathed. "What did they do to her?"

"It appears that they beat her, severely, and on numerous occasions."

Tokito reached out and ran clawed fingers down her back, raising goosebumps in their wake. Then he stepped around and crouched next to the chair.

"Hey."

The look she turned on him was uneasy.

"Look, you're with us now, okay? We're not gonna let anyone hurt you like that ever again." There was an earnestness in his voice that Kubota rarely heard. "You're safe now," Tokito continued, holding out his furred hand to her. "I promise."

Rather than immediately taking the proffered hand, she studied Tokito's face, taking in the cuts and bruises, then turned to the lanky figure leaning on the counter.

Said lanky figure found himself impressed with her apparent acceptance of them as a unit, where a promise made by one would be all the stronger with the assent of the other. What she didn't know (yet) was that a promise made by one automatically bound the other, so he gave her his softest smile and the gentlest of nods.

His affirmation seemed to break something in her and her eyes filled with tears. Turning back to Tokito, she bypassed his hand completely and flung herself against him. Caught off-guard, he threw his arms around her and teetered a moment before falling back against a suddenly-there Kubota, their combined weight and momentum knocking him over, too, so they all ended up in an undignified heap on the floor.

Flat on his back, with Tokito's head on his stomach and his cat's arms filled with a wide-eyed girl, the pure, unadulterated absurdity of the situation hit him like a freight train. And, for the first time in memory, he, Kubota Makoto, aider and abettor of illegal Triad activities, annihilator of Yakuza and general bringer of large-scale destruction, chaos and death, _laughed._

Maybe it was the pent-up worry about Tokito's welfare. Maybe it was the intense relief of having his stray back where he belonged and in one piece. Maybe it was that his stray went and picked up a stray of his own. Whatever the reason, once the laughter bubbled up, he couldn't seem to stop it. He laughed until tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. Then he propped himself up on his elbows, where the sight of two pairs of blue eyes, one set confused, the other outright _scandalized,_ set him off again.

Tokito was the first to crack and, snickering, pronounced, "S-stupid Kubo-chan!"

The girl took a moment to regard them like they'd both gone completely off their respective rockers before shaking her head helplessly and breaking into quiet, breathy laughter.

Kubota thought her smile was about the prettiest damn thing he'd ever seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Tokito sat across the table from the girl and Kubota leaned against the counter, both watching her eagerly finish off her breakfast. They'd only just gotten themselves, and what meager dignity they could scrounge, picked up off the floor.

Kubota watched her scoop the last bite into her mouth. "So. You don't talk." It wasn't a question, but the girl shook her head at him anyway. He gave her an appraising look before asking, "Is that a _can't_ or a _won't_?"

She mirrored his look for a moment before touching her throat and miming the snipping of scissors. She flinched as Tokito slammed his fist onto the table.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" overrode Kubota's quieter, but no less incredulous, "They cut your vocal cords?"

Unsure who to look at, she nodded at the table.

Kubota processed that information a moment, blinking as the implications sorted themselves out in his mind.

"So no one would hear you scream."

Tokito ran an agitated hand through his hair as he slouched angrily in his chair with a fervent, "Fuckers!"

"Yeah." Every new detail this girl revealed fed the anger that finding Tokito had birthed in him for these nameless, faceless bastards. As hell-bent as they were on breaking these beautiful kids, he would rain down destruction on them a thousand times greater. If he could find them.

A not-entirely-comfortable silence stretched until Tokito noticed the glassy, faraway look in the girl's eyes.

"Hey." He touched her hand and waited until she blinked the memories away and focused on him. Then he seemed at a loss for words. "So, uh, can you, like, read and write and stuff?"

She gave him a surprised look, as if the idea hadn't even occurred to her, and nodded. Judging from the disgusted murmur of, "Now why didn't _I_ think of that?" from the lanky figure now rummaging around for a pen and paper, she wasn't the only one. Locating the necessary tools, he set them in front of her.

"All right! NOW we can get somewhere!" Tokito was practically vibrating with eagerness and she smiled a little at his enthusiasm. The smile, however, inexplicably faded with his first question.

"What's your name?"

Her eyes slipped from his face and she studied the table a moment before writing, '#77.'

Tokito breathed out a disappointed little, "Oh," before asking, "Didn't anyone ever call you anything else?"

She gave him a sad, almost haunted kind of look, then wrote, somewhat reluctantly, 'Lucky.'

Tokito stared at her dumbfounded and Kubota felt the blood drain from his face. The thought of someone calling her that and then putting all those marks on her turned his stomach. He suddenly remembered his last conversation with Saori, when he'd told her that women were strong. Looking at this girl, who could still smile and laugh and _trust_, even after enduring so much, he realized he'd had no idea how right he was.

He squatted next to her chair, drawing her attention. The defeated look in her eyes was almost more than he could stand.

"You know what I think? This girl," he tapped the paper, "drowned in Yokohama Harbor." She jerked back in surprise, but watched as he took the paper, twisted it up and set fire to it with his lighter. The three of them watched it burn until Kubota was forced to relinquish it to the sink. Turning back, he locked eyes with the girl. "You aren't _her_ anymore. Okay?"

She searched his face intently, then studied some point off to his right, lost in thought. When she met his eyes again and nodded, there was steel in her gaze that made the mystery of her survival not quite as mysterious. His lips curved into a smile and she reflected it back at him. "Now, what shall we call you?"

"Hey, you named me, Kubo-chan, so I get to name her, right?"

Kubota redirected his smile to his partner. "Can't argue with that logic. Just as long as she likes it."

"Tch. You never made sure I liked _my_ name."

"I gave you a choice."

"Psh. Whatever."

"Wanna change?"

He sighed. "Nah. It would just confuse everyone if I switched now."

"Probably. So, you gonna get on with this naming thing or what?"

Tokito shot him a dirty look before realizing the girl was watching them intently. His composure seemed to slip somewhat and Kubota was amused to see the faint blush that dusted his cheeks.

After a steadying breath (which, Kubota noted, didn't help much), he stammered, "Um, okay, so, I'll just say some names and you, uh, let me know if you like them or not, okay?"

She nodded encouragingly and he began, "Sakura?"

Head shake.

"Hana?"

A heartbeat's consideration, another head shake.

"Koneko?"

A deadpan stare with a raised eyebrow had Kubota stifling a chuckle.

After that, the Quest for a New Name degenerated into a game of See How Many Faces This Girl Can Make, which, Kubota mused, was simply a variation of See How Many Reactions I Can Get From My Cat. It was interesting to be a spectator for a change, though, and he watched Tokito provoke an eye roll, a scrunched nose and a disbelieving stare before he realized the girl was playing his cat just as much as he was playing her. It was rather like a tennis match, with (increasingly awful) names and (seemingly endless) expressions lobbed back and forth across the table.

It was enormously entertaining.

The game ground to a halt several minutes later when Tokito stuttered something that was barely even a word and the girl crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. He blinked in surprise, then grinned at her. She seemed to fight her own reaction at first, but then gave up and grinned back at him. They sat there a moment, reflecting off of each other, and Kubota thought his world seemed all the brighter for it.

"Mai." The name escaped almost before he realized he'd thought it and he found himself in the sudden regard of two sets of blue eyes. There was a storm brewing on Tokito's face that told him he was going to catch hell for stealing his thunder, but the name just seemed... right.

"Kubo-chaaaan!"

Yep. There it was.

"What? It's not like you were coming up with anything _good_."

"Tch."

Kubota wandered over and draped his arms around his cat's shoulders. "Sorry," he murmured, "but you really weren't coming up with anything even remotely appropriate." The blush creeping over Tokito's face was making him feel that he really wasn't sorry at all.

"Yeah, well, thinking up names is hard."

"So you don't mind?"

"What're you asking me for? Ask _her_."

The girl, following their exchange with interest, suddenly found their mutual attention focused on her.

"Well," Kubota asked, "is 'Mai' a name you could live with?"

She took a moment to consider it, which pleased him for no reason he could name, before rewarding him with a nod and a smile.

"Alright then. I suppose introductions are in order. I'm lovely Kubota."

"And I'm beauty Tokito."

The girl laughed her breathy little laugh, got up from her chair and sketched them an elaborate bow.


	3. Chapter 3

Kubota disentangled himself from Tokito. "Well, now that _that's_ settled, I need to call Kasai."

"I figured you'd call the quack."

"Did already, before you got up. Although I think I do need to call him again and tell him the third line we're getting needs a texting phone."

Tokito watched Kubota wander out to the roof, phone in hand, before venturing a quiet, "Mai?" Something about her eyes, so like his, fixing on him made his tongue not want to do what his brain was telling it to do. He looked away. "Could I... I mean... would it be alright if I, um, saw your hands?" It was so hard for him to ask her the question that he would NOT, under any circumstances, want anyone asking him, so he was surprised at how readily Mai offered her hands. He held them for a moment of disbelief before pulling her to her feet and leading her to the couch to settle more comfortably.

He turned her hands this way and that, admiring the sheen of the fur, running his fingers up and down her arms. "It's soft," he breathed.

She let him explore for a few minutes before gently catching his furred hand with a questioning glance. He allowed her to examine his hand as he'd never willingly let anyone before. It was strange, but oddly soothing, to feel her fur rubbing against his, to have her run her fingers along his claws, her brows crinkling in concern at one that had split to the quick.

"Hey, do your hands ever hurt, like, really bad?" The question was barely audible.

Her concerned look transferred from his hand to his face and she nodded.

"Is there any way to stop it, or keep it from happening?"

Head shake.

Kubota loomed up behind Tokito, who 'eep'ed at the voice drawling in his ear, "Is there a way to make it any better?"

Mai considered that a moment, then turned Tokito's clawed hand palm-up and positioned her hands so that the little bit of webbing between her pinky and ring fingers touched the same spot between his pinky and ring fingers and his thumb and forefinger. She then used her thumbs to massage his palm, rubbing all the way to the wrist.

Kubota, chin resting on Tokito's shoulder, felt the smaller boy relax and could've sworn he was on the verge of purring.

"Any way I could get in on some of that action?" he murmured into the nearest ear and was rewarded with a mumbled, "Pervert!" and a breathy snort of laughter from Mai. The laughter got his attention and he wondered at the way she had taken her rescuers'... _unorthodox_... relationship in stride. Then again, he thought, she probably didn't have much in the way of references for "normal".

After a thorough rubdown, Mai untangled her fingers but kept hold of Tokito's hand, thumb rubbing absently through his fur, lost in thought. After a moment, she seemed to come to a decision and tapped Tokito's palm while watching his eyes, brows lifted in query.

"My hand?" Tokito guessed.

She nodded, then clenched her fist with a pained expression.

"Yeah, it hurts sometimes," he said, unsure where this impromptu game of charades was heading.

She nodded again before tapping his hand once more, then his chest, again raising her eyebrows in a silent question.

That one took him a minute, but he eventually guessed, "Does my chest ever hurt like my hand does?"

Her eyes lit up and she nodded emphatically.

"No."

She blinked, her face falling as she rocked back, staring off to her left, the answer clearly not what she expected.

"Does yours?"

A nod.

Kubota and Tokito were both trying to formulate a response to that when Mai's head snapped around and she fixed the front door with an unblinking gaze. She remained in that position, perfectly still, for a full five seconds before the doorbell rang.

The boys exchanged a glance, then Kubota rose. "That'll be Kasai."

"Already? What, was he hanging around out front like some crazy-ass stalker?"

"Mm. Probably."

Judging from the way Mai's eyes kept flickering between them and the door, she was not entirely certain about the situation.

Tokito squeezed her hand as Kubota opened the door. "It's okay. Kasai's Kubo-chan's uncle." He leaned in to whisper, "He totally freaked me out at first, but he's alright."

"Well, I'm glad you think so, Toki!" The smiling, gray-haired man ruffled Tokito's hair affectionately, but his eyes were locked on Mai. "So, I take it you're the new kitten?" He put on his best "friendly cop" smile, but something of his desperate hunger for information must have still shown on his face because, although she nodded, she still looked ready to bolt, despite Tokito's reassurances. He abruptly decided he needed a cigarette.

He took a moment to formulate a new tactic as he lit up, then, foregoing the smile, sighed. "Okay, I'll level with you. First off, I have no intention of hurting you. Second, there are people dying out there and you may hold the key to stopping it." Her eyes widened at that. "Will you help me?"

She studied him, taking in the hand on Tokito's shoulder, then looked to Kubota for confirmation. He waved his own cigarette in a noncommittal gesture, leaving the decision to her. She turned back to Kasai and, somewhat doubtfully, nodded.

Kasai couldn't keep the relief out of his voice. "Thanks. Why don't you come sit with me for a few minutes?" She nodded and followed him back to the kitchen table.

Once settled, Kasai watched Kubota and Tokito take up positions on either side of the girl. 'So, if I hurt her, _she_ won't be the one to tear me limb from limb, _they_ will,' he thought. He suppressed the feeling of uneasiness with some effort, knowing that they would probably not actually hurt him. 'Check that,' he thought, recalling the damage Tokito had done to his hand, 'they most likely wouldn't _kill_ me, but injury might still be a possibility.' Deciding to tread lightly, just in case, he studied the girl, taking in the obviously borrowed clothes hanging on her thin frame, her odd coloring, the striking resemblance between her eyes and Tokito's. While he knew that Toki's only sibling was a brother, he wondered if these two might be more distantly related. He decided he'd look into it, if and when time allowed.

"Okay, first, can I take a look at your hands?" he asked and was taken aback as she willingly presented them to him. He took them gingerly and studied them before glancing at Kubota. "It's far more advanced than Toki's."

Kubota nodded. "It seems as thought her senses are heightened, too."

"How d'you figure?"

"She heard you coming. As soon as you got off the elevator, I believe."

He turned his attention back to her and stared at her as if she would give up all her secrets if he simply studied her long enough. He stared so long that she shifted uncomfortably and Kubota cleared his throat in warning.

Shaking himself back into the present with a muttered, "Sorry," he regathered his composure before beginning again.

"Okay, I don't know what these guys have told you, if anything, but I've been investigating a drug called W.A. that may or may not have anything to do with Tokito's hand. And now I suppose that includes your hands, as well. Things have been going a bit slowly, though, since Toki can't remember anything."

Mai's head snapped around to look at Tokito.

"Well, nothing from before Kubo-chan found me."

"Now," Kasai continued, drawing her attention reluctantly back to him, "in all of the cases I've dealt with so far, the users have died a rather," he faltered a bit, "_messy_ death."

At this, the girl grabbed the writing supplies still on the table and wrote out a single, small sentence.

'They exploded.'

Kasai's eyes darkened as he read.

"How do you know that?"

Her hand shook slightly as she wrote, "I saw it once."

She found herself the object of three incredulous stares and developed an intense interest in the faux finish of the table.

"You," Kasai sounded like he was choking on the word. He cleared his throat and tried again. "You _witnessed_ an overdose?"

She nodded at the table. Kubota noticed a slight tremble to her bottom lip and asked gently, "Was it someone you knew?"

She closed her eyes and a single tear slid down her cheek as she nodded. Tokito grabbed her hand and Kubota smiled a little at his cat's somewhat awkward show of chivalry.

Kasai pushed the paper closer to her. "Can you tell me about it?"

She cast a harrowed glance at him, but again set pen to paper, using her and Tokito's entwined hands to hold the paper steady.

"She was a nurse. She was kind to me and they..." the line trailed off into illegibility. Biting her lip, she tried again, but her hand was shaking too badly to produce anything readable. And yet she kept trying.

Kubota, frowning, suddenly decided that was enough and his arm shot out to still her hand. She caught the movement from the corner of her eye and flinched violently away from him, stilling his hand mid-air.

Tokito's arm was instantly around her. "Hey, hey. It's okay. Shh. It's alright."

Kubota's hand was gentle on hers. "Mai. Look at me." He waited until she complied before continuing, "I won't hurt you. None of us will. We're not _them_ and you're not _her_. Not anymore. Remember?" She nodded. "And you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

This garnered a look of disbelief for him and a cautious glance at Kasai.

The detective sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's okay. Just promise me that you'll tell me when you can, okay?"

She nodded, visibly relaxing.

"So, Makoto, what's your plan?"

"Well, I don't think we're safe here anymore, so Kou is arranging a new place for us."

Tokito shot up from beside Mai with a squawk. "WHAT?"

"Oh. Did I forget to tell you? Sorry. Yeah, we're moving."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"No way! I don't wanna!"

"That's a little unreasonable. You really want Mai to sleep on the couch all the time, when she could have a room of her own?"

Tokito's cheeks colored and he muttered, "Che. Fine." Then, "Kubo-chan..."

Kubota and Kasai followed Tokito's gaze to Mai, who had been studiously drawing during their conversation. She pushed the picture at the detective, who was dumbfounded to see a near-perfect of a "Kirin Original" medicine bottle.

"Is this what they used on you?"

She nodded.

"I don't get it."

"Well, Toki, the fact is, we've found bottles just like this at several of the W.A. crime scenes. We didn't release the information to the general public, or you, so we'd have verifiable confirmation if anyone mentioned it."

"So," Kubota clarified, "this proves that the victims you've found were using the same drug that was used on Mai and, presumably, Tokito?"

"It certainly seems to point that way."

Kubota was silent a long moment.

"Something bothering you?"

"Well, with her having this information, we have to assume that her original captors are looking for her. Her coloring is so unusual that people will remember her, even if they only see her once. I'm not sure I want to let her outside, but I don't want our home to become just another prison for her." He spread his hands. "I'm at a bit of a loss."

Kasai smiled. "I think I can help you with that." At Kubota's raised eyebrows, he clarified, "There's a gal who works for the department. She's helped out with some of our undercovers and witnesses, people who can't risk looking like themselves anymore. She's good, she's discreet and," he winked, "she owes me a favor."

"So, you think our kitten could use a makeover?"

"I think she could. If you let me 'borrow' her for a few hours, I think we can work some magic, and give you two time to pack."

Kubota smiled at Mai. "That okay with you?"

A smile and nod.

"Mm. Sounds like a plan, then. Why don't you just meet up with us at Kou's shop when you're done?"

"You got it."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Finals week (and the week leading up to finals week) was really crazy. (I really _hate_ writing analytical reports, by the way.) But now I'm on break until the first week of January, so hopefully things will move along a little faster now. Hopefully.

As always, comments are welcome!

Kubota and Tokito were sitting comfortably at Kou's, sharing an early dinner, when Tokito suddenly said, "Kubo-chan, something's been bugging me about Mai."

Kubota's eyebrows lifted. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, I know that her vocal cords were cut, but shouldn't she still be able to whisper? But she doesn't. I don't get it."

"Hm. That does seem odd, now that I think about it. Perhaps our good doctor has some insight?"

Two gazes, one curious and one skeptical, turned to Kou, who pushed his glasses up thoughtfully. "Two possibilities come immediately to mind. One is, if the, ah, _procedure_ was done while she was still very young and she was then discouraged from trying to communicate, she may have simply forgotten the mechanics of speech. The other is trauma."

"Trauma?"

"Yes. Sometimes, when children experience intense emotional stress, they lose their ability to speak."

"It's probably the second one, huh, Kubo-chan?"

"I think probably so."

The gloomy silence that followed was interrupted by Kasai who pushed his way through the door, laden with packages and wearing a self-satisfied air. He held the door to let Mai enter.

He grinned as he watched the boys gape at her. Even Kou seemed somewhat taken aback at the change.

Tokito stood to walk a slow circle around her, taking in the black hair falling in a shining cascade down her back with a fringe of bangs that just brushed her eyebrows, long-sleeved tee, jeans and sneakers.. Kou, watching them, murmured, "They could be siblings. What is she, a year, maybe two younger?"

"Hm. That seems about right."

Tokito, completing his inspection, threw an arm around Mai's shoulders. "Y'know, I always wanted a little sister!"

Kubota raised an eyebrow. "Always?"

"Shut up!" His eyes widened as Mai shyly put an arm around his waist and leaned into him.

And Kubota thought that it looked like Kasai's grin was catching.

After Kasai left with assurances that he would check in on them once they were settled, and Kubota's assurances that he really didn't need to do any such thing, Kou took the opportunity to examine Mai. She submitted as willingly as ever, but with a long-suffering air that bespoke of her growing boredom of everyone's fascination with her.

Kubota half-expected Kou to reveal some great epiphany about Mai's condition, but the doctor, frowning thoughtfully, said nothing. Instead, he wrote down an address and handed it to them, along with several door keys and card keys. They, in turn, took the hint and, gathering their things, left Kou to close up for the evening.

Their new place was closer to Kou's shop than their previous digs and was within walking distance of a shopping area that included a 7-Eleven and arcade, along with a variety of other small shops.

Entering their building, they bypassed the main elevator and found a second, smaller elevator tucked in a back corner and used their new key cards to gain access.

"Wow. Fancy."

"Yep. Looks like we're moving up in the world."

"Tch. Only because people are trying to kill us."

"Hm. That does put a damper on things, doesn't it?"

Mai stood baffled as the two boys grinned at each other, then shook her head at them as the doors slid open.

There was only one door in the short corridor. The doorplate read, "Kenichi".

Kubota let them in.

"Whoa." Tokito gaped at the spacious penthouse before wrinkling his nose at the smell of fresh paint. "I can't believe the quack forgot he had this place!"

"Well, sometimes, if you have something that belonged to someone who's no longer here, you put it away and try not to think about it."

"Oh. Kinda like the watch?"

Kubota ruffled his hair. "Yeah. Like the watch."

"Hey! Look!"

Kubota looked over to see Mai opening the sliding glass door to what he'd assumed was a balcony. Instead, the building's roof stretched out from the penthouse. Mai stepped out, gaping at the early-evening sky. She stood there a moment before something caught her eye and she tracked it to a point somewhere on her right. She crouched down and crept out of sight.

As the faint sound of chirping drifted in, Tokito asked, "She... she's not chasing _birds,_ is she?"

Kubota smiled at the thought. "Shall we go find out?"

They followed her out onto the roof, only to find it empty.

"Hey! Where'd she go?"

They turned in several bewildered circles until, "There." Tokito followed Kubota's pointing cigarette to the roof of the penthouse, where Mai stood in apparent awe of the vibrant pinks and oranges splashed across the sky.

"How'd she get up there?"

"That's a good question."

"MAI!" Tokito's shout was loud enough to make Kubota's nearest ear ring, but it got the girl's attention. "How'd you get up there?"

She pointed to the roof's waist-high retaining wall. Tokito went and looked over the edge. "Mai! We're like, ten stories up!"

"Eleven, actually."

Tokito shot him a glare before continuing, "What if you'd have fallen? You could've DIED!"

Kubota chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

Tokito glowered at him, but he tipped his head toward Mai. "Watch."

They both observed as she hopped from the penthouse roof to the wall to the building roof without so much as a wobble.

"You ever see a cat fall off a roof?"

"No." The answer was sullen.

"That's because they don't."

At Tokito's pout, Kubota continued, "I know big brothers are supposed to worry about their little sisters, but she's fine. Save it for when she really needs it, okay?"

Tokito gave him the look reserved for when he said something particularly profound before nodding.

"So, which room do you want?"

"I don't care, as long as we get the PlayStation set up!"

"Okay."

In the end, while setting up the game console, Kubota decided that Mai should take the master bedroom, with its attached bath, and they would take the second bedroom and hall bath.

Then he watched, amused, as Tokito shoved a controller at a bewildered Mai and proceeded to instruct her in Proper Video Game Technique, starting with a crash course in Button Commands. Her eyes flicked doubtfully between the controller and Tokito's face, clearly not understanding a thing he was telling her. Tokito started up a fighting game and Kubota couldn't stifle his chuckle at Mai's scandalized expression on seeing the buxom, scantily-clad warrior Tokito picked out for her.

Kubota had seen a lot of different playing styles over the years. He himself could invest hours of intense concentration to not just learn, but completely dominate, a game. Tokito, on the other hand, didn't have that kind of patience. He would madly mash buttons, learning a few moves that became his favorites and occasionally finding something powerful on accident, never to be remembered.

Mai did neither. Kubota watched, fascinated, as she tentatively pushed buttons, eyes flickering from Tokito's controller to the screen. She was thoroughly trounced in the first three rounds, much to her adopted brother's glee. The fourth round, however, saw her turning the tables and claiming a definitive victory. And that _really_ caught Kubota's attention.

While Tokito was still staring dumbfounded at his fallen fighter, Kubota commandeered his controller.

"My turn."

"What the hell, Kubo-chan?"

"What? You lost, so it's my turn now. Scoot."

Tokito reluctantly relinquished his spot on the floor and perched on the couch instead.

Kubota chose his preferred fighter, but left Mai with the one she had, wanting to see what she would do with something familiar.

The fight started and, while she was far less tentative, he still beat her easily.

For the second round, he noticed she was glancing back and forth between his controller and the screen, just as she had with Tokito. He made no effort to hide the sequence of buttons he was pushing, wondering how quickly she could learn them. With her so distracted, he beat her even more easily, and the third round was much the same.

In the fourth round, she came at him with a vengeance, using the same blocks, dodges and complicated chain attacks he had used. For the first time in a very long time, he found himself behind in HP.

'That's refreshing,' he thought before bringing all of his considerable skill to bear on his surprising opponent.

Even so, the fight's outcome was far from certain. After 10 minutes, the clock counted to zero and Kubota was declared the winner by a slim margin.

"A two-player fight ends after 10 minutes? Huh. You learn something new every day." Ignoring Tokito's scowl, he turned to Mai. "Well played, kitten."

She smiled at him, then glanced at Tokito. Her smile faded and she scrutinized him more closely.

"What? Mai? You're kinda creeping me out."

Before either of them could react, she had Tokito's glove off and his furred hand in hers, massaging frantically.

"What the... aah!"

He tried to pull away as pain shot from his hand nearly to his elbow, but Mai refused to let go.

Kubota watched her work her thumbs deeply into his palm. "Is it helping?" he asked quietly.

"Um, hsst, yeah, I think so."

Mai's ministrations continued and the pain quieted, then, as if she knew the precise moment the discomfort stopped, she released him. Kubota leaned in as Tokito flexed his hand.

"Better?"

"Yeah." The tone bordered on incredulous. "Thanks."

She blinked, then smiled and inclined her head.

From that moment, as long as she was in Tokito's vicinity (which she invariably was), Mai was able to sense when an episode was about to occur and would do what she could to alleviate it. And that, at least in Kubota's mind, made her indispensable.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, while Tokito was in the shower, Mai approached Kubota and thrust a pad of paper at him. He took it and read the question she'd written.

'Is his name really Tokito?'

He handed it back to her. "It is for now."

She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not satisfied with that answer. He gave her a benign half-smile, wondering what she was getting at.

She wrote another question.

'He's Minoru, isn't he?'

He stared at her a moment in disbelief before he turned away with a, "Wait here."

When he returned, he dropped the anklet into her hands. Her mouth formed a little 'o' when she read the inscription.

"I wouldn't recommend calling him that, though." At her questioning look, he continued, "The last time someone said that name in front of him, he broke my arm."

Her eyes widened and she glanced in the direction of the bathroom.

"So, you know him?"

She shook her head and he waited patiently while she wrote again.

'I know of him. When he escaped, it was all anyone could talk about." She paused, then added, 'He's kind of my hero."

Kubota contemplated her words and her faint blush, blowing a wreath of smoke toward the ceiling. "And he doesn't remember any of it." Then another thought occurred to him. "So, does the name 'Akira' ring a bell?"

Her face drained of color so fast that he grabbed her arm to steady her, afraid she'd pass out. "Guess that answers my question," he muttered to himself.

He helped her into a chair and pushed a glass of water into her hands. "Sorry. Kind of sprung that on you, didn't I? You okay?" After a few gulps of water, she nodded. Casting about for a change of subject, he asked, "So, they talked about stuff like that in front of you?"

She shrugged a little and wrote, 'When you can't speak, sometimes people forget you can hear.'

Her words gave him pause, they were so similar to those he'd once said himself. The vague sadness in her eyes resonated with him and it suddenly occurred to him that their pasts weren't so different. He reached out and cupped her cheek.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about _him_ when you can. I need to find him."

She tilted her head at him in confusion.

"So I can kill him."

She drew back a little and searched his face, as if trying to decide if he was serious. Then she set her jaw, met his eyes with a look of determination and nodded.

"Thanks."

Her face softened and her eyes dropped again to the anklet, turning it over and over in her hands. A look of regret crossed her features at the sound of the shower shutting off and she offered the trinket back to Kubota.

He wrapped her fingers around it. "Keep it." He then nodded additional confirmation at her look of disbelief.

She drew her hand back and held the anklet over her heart, giving him a small smile.

"You're welcome."

As she left with her new treasure, he crumpled up their conversation and threw it away.

Late that afternoon, a package arrived. After thanking the somewhat overawed delivery kid, Kubota opened the box to find that Kou'd had the forethought to order them all new texting phones. He handed a box to each of his cats and Tokito tore into his with all the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning, while he and Mai opened theirs at a more sedate pace.

The next hour or so was spent learning features, changing settings and sending useless messages to each other. Kubota was impressed by how quickly Mai mastered the new technology and was amused that she set her phone to meow when a message was received.

His cats were still playing with their new toys when he decided he needed a smoke and wandered out to the roof. Tokito watched him go, leaned in toward Mai as soon as he was out of sight.

"Listen, this is probably gonna sound weird, but I think we may have come from the same place. Do I look familiar to you?"

[No.]

Tokito couldn't hide his disappointment. "Oh."

[But I recognize your story.]

"Huh?"

[I remember there was an uproar when one of the experiments escaped. I assume that was you.]

"That's all we were? Experiments?"

She nodded.

"So you remember what it was like there?"

[Mostly.]

"Mostly?"

She seemed to gather her thoughts before typing, [Sometimes, they would come to get me, but I don't remember what happened afterwards.]

"Maybe they didn't actually do anything."

She shook her head. [Usually, when I came to, I would have bruises and stuff that weren't there before.]

"...'and stuff'?"

She blushed and refused to meet his eyes.

"Sorry. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

She nodded at the floor.

"So, I probably don't want to remember what happened to me, do I?"

She thought about that before, [I wish I didn't.] Then, [Thank you, though.]

"For what?"

[For giving us all hope.]

"Oh. Uh, you're welcome." He put his arm around her, then pushed her away again to look at her face. "Wait... are you saying there are _more_ like us?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

He pulled her close again. "Shit." He thought for a minute. "Hey, do you think you could get back to that place?"

She shook her head. [I don't remember ever even seeing the outside of the building.]

"Do you remember how you got on the tanker?"

[No. I blanked out in one cage and came to in another.]

"Shit," he repeated.

[Sorry.]

"No, I didn't mean anything was your fault!" He sighed. "I just wish there was something I could do."

They sat there in their own thoughts for a bit before Tokito shook himself out of it. "Well, just because we can't do anything about it right now, doesn't mean we won't be able to do something later, so no use worrying about it." He flashed her a grin. "I'll play ya."

She couldn't suppress her own smile as she shook her head at him and went to get the controllers.

Kubota walked back in to find his cats sitting on the floor happily engaged in trying to beat the virtual crap out of each other. Mai spared him a glance and a quick smile, which Tokito took full advantage of, landing a punishing blow to her character. He caught her scowl out of the corner of his eye and smirked.

Deciding that all was right with the world, Kubota wandered to the kitchen to start dinner, hearing the evidence of Mai's revenge in Tokito's, "Hey! No fair!"

He pried them away from the game long enough to eat, then they were back at it and he decided that there was laundry that needed doing.

He'd just gotten a load started when Tokito's panicked, "Kubo-CHAN!" sent him scrambling back to the living room. He found his cat hovering over a panting Mai.

"What's wrong?"

"Her hands. I don't think she can let go!"

He knelt beside her, noting the white-knuckled grip she had on the controller, which creaked in protest. He ran his hands gingerly up her arms, finding that the muscles were rigid under the fur. When he tried to gently loosen her grip, she let out a huff that would've been a yelp, if she'd had a voice.

"Sorry, sorry," he murmured.

He stayed beside her, absently stroking her arms, thinking furiously.

"Stay with her. I'll be right back." Tokito nodded and he could hear his murmured reassurances as he went to grab some towels, running them under hot water. Back in the living room, he handed one to Tokito. "Wrap her arm in that," he instructed, applying the warm towel to the arm on his side.

He gave the heat a minute to sink in before asking, "Is that helping at all?"

She gave a shaky nod and he was relieved to hear her breathing even out somewhat. Her jaw clenched as she tried to uncurl her fingers.

He wrapped his hands around hers, effectively thwarting her efforts. "Easy, easy. Don't rush it."

They'd been sitting long enough for Kubota to wonder if he needed to get more towels when Mai's hands spasmed open and the controller clattered to the floor. He unwrapped her arm and started gently massaging her muscles as she slumped against the couch. Tokito, watching him closely, followed suit.

"Better?"

She sighed and nodded. They continued their ministrations until her arms and hands were completely limp and her eyes lost focus.

Tokito studied her face and pulled a strand of sweat-damp hair out of her eyes. "Hey, you look really tired. You wanna go to bed?"

She considered the offer, then shook her head.

"Wasn't there a movie you wanted to watch?"

Tokito pounced on the suggestion. "You're right! There was! Wanna watch a movie, Mai?"

She smiled a little and nodded.

"Cool! I'll go make popcorn!"

Kubota helped Mai off the floor and onto the couch. Despite declining Tokito's offer, she looked like she was about to drift off. "Still hurt a little?"

She nodded.

He sat with her until Tokito returned with the popcorn, started the movie, and sat down in front of the couch at an angle that kept Mai in his peripheral vision.

About halfway through the movie, he heard Kubota whisper his name. When he turned, Kubota asked, "She asleep?"

"Yeah."

"I thought so. I think she drooled on me."

"Yeah, she did. When cats drool on you, it means they like you, right?"

"Hm. Maybe so."

Smiling a little at the thought, he carefully repositioned her in his arms and pushed himself off the couch.

"Come help me with the blankets."

She never stirred as they put her to bed.

"You want to finish the movie?"

"Nah. It was boring. C'mon, I'm tired."

"Okay."

Kubota switched off the TV before trailing in Tokito's wake.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the delay getting this chapter up. It was being very naughty during the editing process.

Also, after reading the manga for the upteen-billionth time, I realized that what I had thought was a medicine bottle was, in fact, a beer can. (Oops.) But since that was kind of important in the beginning of my meandering little fanfic, it would be helpful if everyone could _pretend_ it was a medicine bottle, just until I figure something else out. I'd be much obliged. :)

And to Damaged Ghost of an Angel: I'm so glad you're enjoying my story! Your review was one of the best Christmas presents ever! Thank you so much!

Mai slept later than usual the next morning. The boys were already halfway through breakfast before they heard the telltale sound of water in the pipes. Even after the sound faded away, however, there was still no sign of her.

Kubota figured she'd come out when she was ready, but noticed that Tokito kept shifting in his chair and casting anxious glances at Mai's door. He was just about to suggest that they investigate her whereabouts when her doorknob rattled. And rattled again. The third rattle was followed by a tentative knock.

The boys' eyes met before they rose as one and approached her door. When they got it open, they found Mai standing there, eyes downcast, arms crossed and a faint blush dusting her cheeks. She started to push past them, but Tokito stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and continued to stare at the floor.

Without a word, Kubota gently uncrossed her arms and took one of her hands in his.

"Still hurt?"

She met his eyes briefly before shaking her head again.

He rubbed his thumb through the fur thoughtfully, frowning at the tremble he felt.

"Mai, squeeze my hand."

She looked at him again, longer this time, and he thought she might refuse, but then she dropped her eyes and her hand erupted into violent shaking. He quickly laid his other hand over hers, and the trembling ceased.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Just a bad case of muscle fatigue, looks like. Should be better in a day or two." At Mai's doubtful look, he smiled and added, "It'll be okay."

As if in answer, Mai's stomach growled. Kubota chuckled. "Let's see what we can do about breakfast."

Mai, having declined Tokito's generous (in his mind) offer of hand-feeding her, ended up managing just fine with a fork attached to her hand with stretchy athletic tape. Tokito, out of encouragement or competitiveness (Kubota couldn't decide which), promptly insisted that he have a fork attached to his hand, too. He and Mai then giggled and teased each other through the rest of the meal, and launched into a full-blown swordfight as Kubota cleared away the dishes.

The next couple of days went on in a similar manner. The boys would help with whatever Mai was willing to accept help for, such as brushing her hair (which Kubota was surprised to discover he enjoyed) and they worked out ways to let her do the rest on her own.

Tokito, perhaps feeling responsible for her condition, hovered solicitously over her, frequently asking if she needed anything. She tolerated this fairly well the first day. The second day found her alternately ignoring him and flapping him away in mild annoyance. The third day, Kubota decided he needed to redirect his cat's good intentions before Mai maimed him.

After the lunch dishes had been washed and put away, he said to the room in general, "It's a nice day. Think I'll take a walk."

"Ooh! I wanna hit the arcade!"

Which was precisely the reaction he'd been looking for. "Okay."

"But, what about Mai? Are we just gonna leave her behind?"

"Not unless she wants to stay."

Tokito visibly brightened and he asked her, "Wanna come?" He grinned when she nodded and scrambled to get his shoes on.

She cast a relieved smile in Kubota's direction and he returned it with a wink before going to retrieve his own shoes.

As they left the building, Tokito tossed an arm over Mai's shoulders and Kubota took up a position on her other side. She seemed content to peer out at this new world from the place of safety they'd created for her. Kubota couldn't help but smile at Tokito's running monologue, which seemed to further put the girl at ease.

When they arrived at the arcade, though, she stopped dead, mouth falling open, absorbing the cacophony of sound and flashing lights. Tokito grinned down at her, obviously enjoying her reaction, but waiting to go in until she'd had a chance to acclimate. Once she turned her attention back to him, he shoved some tokens into one of her hands, grabbed the other one and dragged her inside, leaving an amused Kubota to find a place to smoke.

Tokito led Mai through the maze of game cabinets, pausing as he came across his favorites and telling her stories of previous epic wins. Halfway down an aisle, he stopped short with a happy little gasp.

"Holy shit! I can't believe they have the new one! I've been DYING to play this!"

He eagerly fed tokens into the machine and grinned at Mai. "You gotta watch, okay?"

She smiled and nodded, standing so she could see over his shoulder. Tokito was practically bouncing with excitement as the game's music swelled, then he slammed the joystick and found a rhythm of manic button-pressing.

An hour later, he turned desperately to Mai to beg her for the tokens he'd given her, only to find the space behind him empty. He turned a slow circle, eyes scanning the crowd, but there was no sign of her.

"Shit. Kubo-chan's gonna _kill_ me."

He snuck back toward the entrance, peeking at Kubota to see if Mai was with him.

No dice.

"Duh. Her phone!" He sent off a quick, [Where are you?] and fidgeted, his panic growing as the minutes ticked by with no answer.

"Fuck."

He chose an aisle at random and headed deeper into the arcade, determined to find Mai before Kubota realized he'd lost her.

Too bad he already knew. He surreptitiously watched Tokito thread his way toward the back of the arcade, then he stubbed out his cigarette. He wasn't overly concerned – Mai would've had to walk past him to leave and he hadn't seen her, so she had to still be inside.

He sauntered after Tokito, using his height to track the smaller boy's movement through the crowd. When he stopped short near the DDR platform, Kubota drifted up behind him, following his gaze to where Mai was dominating her opponent.

Across the room, another set of eyes was watching her appreciatively.

"Scopin' out your next conquest, Denji?"

"You know it," he smiled at his second.

Haro cast a speculative eye over the platform. "I thought you liked girls with more meat on 'em."

"I'm willing to make an exception for this one. I mean, look at the way she moves. She's gonna be a _fantastic_ lay."

Denji watched the girl, fascinated. It wasn't so much that she unerringly tapped, stomped and spun her way to what was inevitably going to be a top score, it was how she looked while she was doing it that made his mouth water.

Haro interrupted his reverie with, "So, uh, what about Suzume?" He couldn't quite keep the hope out of his voice.

Denji shrugged. The lustful glances his second had been giving his bitch had not been lost on him. "Eh, I think I'm done with her. She's yours, if you want."

"Sweet!"

Denji couldn't help but smile at the other's enthusiasm.

"So, ah, anything else you need me for here?"

"Nope. Go forth and conquer, my friend."

Haro gave him a wink. "Likewise!"

Denji turned his attention back to the platform where the girl, flushed and smiling, was just stepping down to a smattering of applause. As she walked by, he touched her shoulder and she turned to him. Her regard made him forget what he was going to say. He blinked stupidly at her several times before recovering and switching to full-on seduction mode.

"Hey, babe. Been watching you and you are _fucking_ hot. Come with me and I promise it'll be worth your while." He bestowed on her the smile that most girls – and some guys – melted at.

Her eyebrows lifted and a blush that had nothing to do with exertion rose on her cheeks. Then she gave him a small smile and a shake of her head and turned to leave.

He stared at her retreating form in disbelief. The little bitch just turned her back on him. On _him_!

He went after her and, grabbing her arm, spun her to face him, relishing the indignation on her face.

"Listen, sweetheart. When I see something I want, I take it. Period. And right now, I want you."

He expected her to demand that he let her go, or start calling him names, even start screaming. Anything but this silent stare she was giving him. He wondered if something was seriously _wrong_ with her and found the thought to be a complete turn-on.

Her eyes dropped to the hand on her arm and she tugged against it. He tightened his grip and she desisted with a hiss of pain.

"Good girl. Now, let's go somewhere more priv..." he trailed off as a figure suddenly loomed over the girl's shoulder, casual slouch belied by the danger in his eyes.

A smaller figure, wound tripwire-tight, materialized on her other side and growled, "Hands off my sister."

Denji's eyes slid back to the girl, who raised her eyebrows. Her politely expectant expression enraged him.

Somewhere over his head, a voice advised, "I'd do what he says."

Finding himself outnumbered, he released the girl's arm. He stared daggers at the newcomers, and they at him, until the girl, with a dramatic eye-roll, grabbed her guard-dog's arms and led them away, the taller one docilely, the shorter tripping over his feet with a sputtered, "What the- Mai!"

Watching them leave, he narrowed his eyes, thinking. He ran through several possible scenarios, found one he liked, and smiled.

After all, the best prizes were always worth extra effort.


	7. Chapter 7

It was several days before the trio made another appearance at the arcade. Denji noted that the girl's dogs were being exceptionally watchful, but that was to be expected and he'd planned for it.

He called Haro. "They're here. Get in position. I'll let you know when to move."

"Got it."

He turned his attention back to his target and waited.

And waited.

He was beginning to think that maybe today wasn't going to be the day when what he'd been anticipating finally happened.

From his shadowy corner, he watched the girl tap her brother on the shoulder and gesture toward the restroom. The brother, distracted with a game, nodded absently.

Perfect.

He waited until the bathroom door had closed behind the girl, then texted a command to his second: [Go.]

He waited just another moment to confirm the diversion had started on the other side of the arcade and that a group of familiar girls were headed toward the restroom before fading into the crowd and making for the exit.

Once outside, he ducked down an alleyway that meandered drunkenly between several buildings and ended in an odd little courtyard that most people weren't even aware existed. Those who did know of it were either in his gang or knew to stay off their turf.

He forced himself not to pace, but he couldn't help fiddling with the status symbol of a ring on his right hand and glancing down the alley every few minutes. The anticipation was deliciously frustrating and he savored it, knowing his reward would arrive soon enough.

A few minutes later, the same group of girls appeared, clustered tightly around his prize. One of them had an elegant little pearl-handled pistol pointed their captive. Even so, the girl's eyes were flashing in anger and Denji smiled. He was going to enjoy taming this little spitfire.

He collected her from the girls and dismissed them with a charming, "Thank you, ladies." They chirped and twittered at him like so many colorful birds before disappearing back down the alley, passing other members of the gang that were starting to trickle in. He kept an iron grip on her arm, purposely pressing his fingers into the bruises he'd left there before. He smiled as she hissed at him.

When the rest of his gang had fully assembled, he divided them into teams and dispatched them, anticipating trouble but confident that his muscle would be more than a match for the girl's guard dogs.

"Haro, you're with me, but stay out of sight."

"You got it."

Once everyone had dispersed or melted into the shadows, he sighed in satisfaction and turned to the girl, who surprised him with a slap that stung more than it should have. His fingers went to his face and came away red with blood.

"You little BITCH!" He gave back as good as he'd gotten, backhanding her hard, his ring opening a gash on her cheek.

Satisfied with this first lesson, he slammed her back into the wall. Pinning her hands over her head with one hand, he purred, "Not so tough without your dogs, are you sweetheart?" And he slid his free hand under her shirt.

Kubota stood smoking at the front of the arcade, absorbed in the newest issue of his favorite mahjong magazine. When a scuffle broke out nearby, he ignored it, his brain interpreting the sound as normal for the environment. He only took notice when the disturbance moved into his immediate vicinity. He frowned at the combatants. He'd seen them before and they'd always seemed friendly with each other. And, while he himself had been witness to fights between friends, something about this fight seemed... off. His gut didn't like it and he'd learned long ago to trust that feeling.

He scanned the arcade for his cats. Tokito was still hammering away at a game, but there was no sign of Mai. Again. His unease ratcheted up a notch as he stubbed out his cigarette and made his way over.

"Tokito. Where's Mai?"

The smaller boy's eyes never left the screen as he answered, "Bathroom."

While it was good that Tokito knew where Mai was (this time), Kubota knew he wouldn't be able to fully relax until the girl was back where he could see her.

His phone rang and he fished it out, glancing at the screen.

"What the hell?"

Tokito looked up, as much at the tone of his voice as at the rare expletive, game forgotten.

"What's wrong?"

Kubota showed him Mai's name on the phone's screen and waited until his eyes widened before answering the call and switching to speakerphone. He grabbed Tokito's hand and dragged him outside, where they could hear.

At first, the only sounds were the rustle of fabric and the murmur of girls' voices.

"Maybe she's just pocket-dialing." Tokito's voice was hopeful, but Kubota couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

His suspicion was confirmed with the muffled but unmistakeable click of the hammer being drawn back on a small-caliber pistol. His eyes met Tokito's for an instant before they both started scanning street for any girls traveling in a group.

There were none.

Every fiber of Kubota's being was screaming at him to FIND HER, but he had no idea which direction to go. Judging from the way Tokito was fidgeting, he wasn't alone in those feelings.

With supreme force of will, he kept them where they were and tried to glean every bit of information he could from the sounds coming from his phone.

A few more tense seconds passed, then a male voice floated through. The sounds of the girls swelled, then receded. The man's voice was commanding, but low, and Kubota couldn't make out the words. He was, however, noticing some intermittent activity at the mouth of one of the alleys. He kept an eye on it and continued to listen.

There was a space of silence, followed by a slap. Another heartbeat of quiet, then an angry, "You little BITCH!" followed by another, louder slap.

"Kubo-chan..." Tokito's voice sounded strangled and Kubota pulled him close.

"I know."

Then he caught sight of a group of girls emerging from the alley that had attracted his attention.

"Come on!"

Denji was thoroughly enjoying his exploration of the girl's body. She was writhing under his touch and the fact that it was from angry desperation rather than pleasure didn't make one bit of difference to him. Even as his hand roamed over her, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. Her defiant glare was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

The faint sounds of a scuffle intruded on his moment, but he did his best to ignore it, confident that his boys had things under control. It took a moment for him to realize that the fight was coming closer, and fast.

He glanced toward the alley. The girl made the most of his distraction and head-butted him in the jaw. With a growl, he slammed her back against the wall again, this time hard enough to bounce her head off the surface.

Her eyes fluttered shut briefly, then opened to regard him intently. The predatory smile that grew at the edges of her lips made his blood run cold.

Kubota and Tokito charged through the girls, eliciting gasps, shrieks and copious amounts of less-than-ladylike language. The ruckus alerted the forward group of gang members, who swung into action, forming a blockade a few yards from the alley's mouth.

The boys met them head-on, feet and fists flying. As a single unit, the cut a swath through the first group and met up with the second farther in.

Surrounded by gang members and fighting furiously, they spilled into the courtyard. Kubota caught a glimpse of the same guy they'd had trouble with before, right before Mai jerked a hand out of his grip and slammed the heel of it into his nose. Kubota's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Mai's assailant toppled backward, hit the pavement hard, and was still. Her eyes met his and he frowned at her expression and the gash on her cheek. An incoming fist drew his attention back to more immediate concerns. He ducked it neatly and took out his overbalanced opponent with a kick to the head.

Then Mai was wading into the fray, taking up a position at his back, astounding him by taking out opponents twice her size with apparent ease.

"Kubo-chan!"

He turned to find Tokito surrounded by the last dozen or so gang members. He took out two before the rest surged over him.

"Tokito!"

Kubota was a tornado of violence, the tanker incident still painfully fresh in his mind, and Mai was a complementary whirlwind at his side. Their enemies fell one after another, revealing a bloody and unmoving Tokito.

His partner's name was no more than a breath on his lips before he was gathering the limp form into his arms, Mai hovering anxiously at his shoulder.

Some small part of his mind registered the sound of movement behind him, and he felt Mai step away, but his attention was only for Tokito.

The voice that drifted over him was shaking in anger. "I'm gonna kill you for what you did to Denji. Then, I'm gonna kill your dogs. You got that, princess? I'm gonna kill _all_ of you."

Kubota glanced over his shoulder, but Mai had a hand up in a preemptive gesture, clearly wanting to take on this opponent herself. The thought made him nervous, but he complied, grateful to be able to concentrate on Tokito, while remaining ready to jump in, should she need his help.

The new guy assumed a fighting stance and Mai dropped into a similar stance with practiced ease. They circled each other and exchanged a few experimental blows, testing each other for weaknesses, before they engaged in earnest.

The speed with which the two punched, kicked and blocked impressed Kubota, but he was troubled by the evidence of what could only be combat training in their normally gentle kitten. It was almost as if she'd become a different person.

His train of thought was interrupted by a groan from Tokito.

"Kubo-chan?"

"I'm here." He felt a wave of relief as the boy struggled to sit up. "You okay?"

"I think so. What's going on? Is that Mai?"

Kubota followed Tokito's gaze back to the fight, wincing as Mai landed a solid kick to her opponent's solar plexus. "That's a good question."

"Huh?"

But Kubota only shook his head, watching as the guy stumbled back, muttering, "What the hell?" Judging from her smirk, Mai was enjoying herself thoroughly.

Apparently deciding that a change of tactics was in order, the guy fished in his pocket and, with a few deft flicks of his wrist, had a butterfly knife gleaming in his hand and a matching smirk on his face.

Mai's look transformed to one of pure disinterest, which would've been comical had the situation not been so dire. Her opponent's eyes narrowed and he flipped the knife skillfully from hand to hand, obviously trying to intimidate her. He stopped and stared at her in disbelief when her response was a yawn and wandering attention.

Kubota tensed and felt Tokito do the same. They were on the verge of scrambling to save her from her own stupidity when the guy lunged at her. She sidestepped the attack, then, when he stumbled past, grabbed him by the throat and brought his face inches from hers. The knife clattered to the ground as his hands came up to pull desperately at the claws buried in his neck. She watched his face in apparent satisfaction before shoving him away, jerking her hand at the last moment to effectively tear out his throat.

Tokito swallowed audibly and Kubota turned away from the ruined gang member to find him looking very pale.

"You okay?" he asked again.

"Yeah. No." Tokito turned confused eyes to him. "I don't know."

"Yeah, me either."

When he looked back at Mai, he had the sudden, strong impression that he'd just missed something.

Something important.

The girl had gone white as a sheet and was trembling, eyes fixated on her bloody claws, but not really seeming to see them.

Kubota pushed Tokito to his feet, making sure he was at least mostly steady before standing himself. They approached Mai cautiously, unsure what to expect, but she ignored them.

"Mai?" Tokito asked softly, ducking his head to see her face better.

No response.

Kubota took her chin and gently turned her injured face toward him.

"Mai."

Her eyes flickered to his face before sliding to her bloody handiwork that was sprawled on the pavement. Kubota took her shoulders and physically turned her away from the corpse, hoping that she would focus on him instead.

It didn't work. She simply stared through his chest and her trembling escalated to a shaking so forceful her teeth chattered.

"What's wrong with her, Kubo-chan?"

Kubota slid his hands down her arms, feeling how chilled her skin was, even though her sleeves.

"She's in shock. We need to get her home," and he scooped her up, striding purposefully back down the alley, Tokito at his heels, as sirens began to blare in the distance.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I didn't get this up nearly as soon as I wanted, but school work and, well, WORK work kept encroaching on my editing time. Still not entirely happy with it, but not sure what needs to be changed. Thanks for your patience and, as always, comments are welcome!

Kubota sat on the edge of the tub in Mai's bathroom, contemplating the bottles crowded on the opposite edge.

Mai had recently discovered bubble bath and Tokito had made it his personal mission to make sure she had every scent to be found in Yokohama. He was half-expecting to be receiving mail-order shipments any day now.

He chose a bottle at random and dumped a generous amount under the running water. The air filled with the pleasant, if improbable, smell of pineapple.

'That's... different,' he thought absently.

He poked his head back into the bedroom where his cats sat on the bed, Mai tucked under Tokito's arm.

She had come back to herself, for the most part, on the way home, but was still too pale and chilled for Kubota's liking. He tapped her lightly and indicated the running bath with a tilt of his head.

"In."

She nodded and extracted herself from Tokito, who watched her as she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door softly behind her.

"You okay?" he asked the remaining cat.

"Mentally or physically?"

"Either. Both."

"Physically, I think so. Mentally, I'm not sure yet."

Kubota gave him a soft look. "I know exactly what you mean." He ran a critical eye over his partner. "Come on. Let's get you fixed up."

Fortunately, Tokito's injuries were limited, for the most part, to bruises. The exceptions were a rather nasty cut above his eyebrow and a split lip. As Kubota was applying salve and bandages, he noticed that Tokito was favoring his left hand a bit.

"Does your hand hurt?"

"Mm. The wrist, a little."

Kubota carefully examined it and determined that (thankfully) there was no break, just what appeared to be a mild sprain. He wrapped it more as a precaution than anything else.

Half an hour later, as a freshly-bandaged Tokito was somewhat gingerly mashing buttons, Mai emerged from her room, halfheartedly trying to tug a comb though her tangled hair.

Kubota relieved her of the comb and sat her down at the kitchen table, where the med kit awaited. He examined the gash on her cheek, pleased that she'd had the wherewithal to clean it herself. It was jagged and would probably scar and was even now starting to bruise around the edges, the purple shadow creeping up toward her eye. She still had a tired, faraway look that he didn't like.

Kubota applied salve and a bandage as gently as he could, then moved her to the couch where he started working on her hair.

"Wanna talk about it?" The words were out before he realized he'd thought of something to say.

She didn't respond, but simply allowed Kubota to detangle her hair, first with deft fingers, then with the comb. He'd about decided that she wasn't _going_ to respond when she dug her phone out of her pocket.

[I killed him, didn't I?]

Tokito was suddenly at his elbow and they read the message before sharing an incredulous look. Kubota shrugged. No point lying about it.

"Yeah."

For once, Tokito was quicker on the uptake. "Wait. Don't you remember?"

Kubota's mouth fell open as Mai shook her head.

Tokito, completely missing the implications, offered, "It was _totally_ self-defense, if that helps."

Mai's expression said it didn't.

"He's right, you know." He hooked a finger under Mai's chin and turned her to face him, waiting until she met his eyes. "If you hadn't killed him, he would've killed you, and then we would've killed him anyway. He was dead the _second_ he struck out at you."

She considered that before pulling her phone out again. [But, if I hadn't been there, it wouldn't have happened at all. I put you in danger.]

Before they could finish reading the message, another came. [Maybe I should leave.]

Tokito jumped to his feet and started pacing in anger.

"No way! No way, Mai! No FUCKING way!"

Turning her wide-eyed attention away from the tirade, Kubota asked, "Do you want to leave?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head.

"Then don't."

"Yeah." Tokito dropped beside her and took her hand in his. "I've never met anyone else like me. At least not that I remember. So please," his voice dropped to a whisper, "_please_ don't leave."

A tear slid down her cheek and she cupped Tokito's cheek, giving him a gentle nod. He huffed out a pent-up breath and nearly flattened her with a bear hug.

Kubota gave them (and himself) a few moments to regain some composure, then another one to let Mai dry her eyes and blow her nose before he asked, "So, what _do_ you remember?"

She thought a moment before typing in, [I remember head-butting him after he], then she backspaced over the last two words before sending the message. Kubota, however, had caught the correction.

"After he what?"

She shook her head and looked away, which fed his growing suspicion.

His voice had a dangerous edge to it as he asked, "Did he touch you?"

A furious blush was his only answer, but it told him everything.

"I'll kill him." Tokito growled.

"Mm," Kubota agreed, agile mind already working out ways to exact revenge for this outrage, provided the guy had survived having his nose shoved into his brain. This morbid, but extremely entertaining, train of thought was interrupted by another message.

[It's okay. Wasn't the first time.]

Kubota's phone clattered to the floor and he took Mai's face in both hands. "It's NOT okay." Unsure how to impress the thought any more effectively, he repeated, "It's not okay."

It was his turn to be nearly flattened and he wrapped his arms around her gently as she sobbed into his shirt. Tokito came and sat beside him and he incorporated him into the circle of his arms.

They sat that way for awhile, Kubota with his arms full of cats, one murmuring soothingly to the other, whose sobs slowly subsided into intermittent sniffles and hiccups. It occurred to him, again, that cats were certainly a lot of trouble, but he still wasn't ready to give them up.

Kubota stood staring at the window display, deep in thought.

Once Mai had calmed down, he'd realized that he didn't have enough cigarettes to calm his frayed nerves and, with a promise of pocky for Tokito, set off for 7-Eleven.

He was on his way back, laden with cartons of chocolate and death, when the display caught his eye. Coming to a decision, he walked in and made his purchase.

A few doors down, another display drew him in for just one more thing before heading back.

Arriving home, he found Tokito in his usual place on the floor, trying to kill a boss, with a listless Mai lying on the couch, curled around his shoulders, watching.

He set the pocky next to Tokito and touched Mai gently, motioning for her to follow him. He was relieved to see a spark in interest in her eyes. He led her to the kitchen, where he held out one of the bags to her. She gave him a confused look before reaching for it.

He watched her dig around in the bag, smiling when her eyes widened. She pulled out several pairs of arm socks and a few pairs of coordinating lacy gloves. She turned them over in her hands before turning a wondering look on him.

"It's starting to get warmer. Thought those might be more comfortable than long sleeves all the time."

Tokito, attracted by the goings-on, peered over Mai's shoulder curiously.

"Hey! Those are cool!" he pronounced around a stick of pocky. "Try 'em on!"

Kubota was relieved to see the tentative smile she gave him. She tugged on the gloves, then the arm socks and turned a little pirouette.

"Very nice." He held out a second bag to her. "This is for you, too."

The look she gave him was incredulous, but she took it and pulled out a sketchbook and a plastic case. She set the paper on the table, then turned her attention to the case. Her mouth fell open as it revealed an art set. Her fingers hovered over the assorted pencils reverently before turning to Kubota, putting her arms around him and giving him a solemn kiss on the cheek.

"You're welcome."

He watched her carefully remove the arm coverings and set them aside before gathering the art things and settling on the couch, then he touched the place where she'd kissed. He never realized he'd been waiting for someone to be so... soft with him.

Later, while both of his cats were otherwise engaged, Tokito with yet another video game and Mai with her new pencils, Kubota called Kou.

"Got a question for you."

"I hope I have an answer."

"Yeah, me, too. Have you ever heard of someone forgetting only certain events?"

"Can you be more specific?"

Kubota relayed an abridged version of the day's events.

"Hm. Has this happened before?"

"I'll ask." He pulled the phone away and asked, "Hey, Mai? Any other memory lapses?"

She nodded and Tokito surprised him by adding, "Yeah, she told me it happened at that place. They'd come to get her and the next thing she knew, she would be back and all beat up." Mai nodded confirmation at Kubota's questioning look.

He took a second to process this new information before advising Kou, "Yeah, seems like it has."

"Ah. Yes, I have heard of this. It's rare, though."

"Oh?"

"Yes, this kind of memory loss is almost exclusively associated with multiple personalities."

"Multiple personalities?"

Two sets of eyes were promptly glued to his face.

"Sometimes, in the event of severe, ongoing abuse, certain children will... splinter off personalities to deal with the circumstances."

"Hm. Only certain kids?"

"It seems that only the most intelligent children deal with abuse in this manner."

"How do less intelligent ones deal with it?"

There was a pause before Kou answered quietly, "They die."

Kubota was silent, images flashing though his mind: the scars, her uncharacteristic behavior during the fight, the state of shock afterward. It all fit.

"Kubota-kun, I should tell you that almost all documented cases of multiple personality involve sexual abuse."

His eyes locked with Mai's for a moment before flickering to Tokito, and he wondered.

"Yeah, thanks for the information, Kou-san. Things are a lot clearer now."


	9. Chapter 9

Mai was understandably reluctant to venture outside after the incident at the arcade. This suited Kubota, who felt they should keep a low profile for awhile, but Tokito soon developed a bad case of cabin fever, which was only partially alleviated by occasional runs to the convenience store.

After a week of putting up with Tokito prowling the apartment like a caged animal, Kubota started to wonder if there was somewhere they could go without drawing too much attention to themselves.

The answer came with a phone call from Takizawa.

"Kubocchi! You're alive!"

"Well, last I checked."

"So I, uh, take it you're not at home."

"Hm? Oh. We moved."

"You did? Why didn't you tell me?" Then, before Kubota could answer, "Never mind. I'm just relieved you're not at your old place."

"Oh?"

"Uh, yeah. I think you'd better turn on the news."

Kubota grabbed the remote and, ignoring Tokito's indignant, "What the HELL, Kubo-chan?" switched from the video game to the TV.

The image behind the "Breaking News" tagline showed their old apartment building completely engulfed in flames.

"Holy shit," Tokito breathed.

"Are you seeing it?" Takizawa's voice cut through Kubota's thoughts.

"Yeah."

"They suspect arson. Whose bad side have you gotten on this time?"

"Who knows?"

"Yeah, right. So, anyway, listen: I've got some new information. It's not much, but I want to run it by you."

"Yeah. And we've got someone you should probably meet."

Later, at the restaurant they'd agreed on, Kubota introduced Mai to Takizawa, who seemed rather overawed and stood a moment, just drinking in the sight of her. After several long heartbeats, he extended his hand with a polite, "May I?"

Mai glanced at Kubota, who nodded, before removing a glove placing her hand gingerly in Takizawa's. He used his other hand to stroke her fur, going so far as to slip his fingers under her arm sock before surprising them all with a chivalrous kiss.

"I'm very, _very_ glad to meet you."

He only released her when the waitress came to show them to a table, ignoring the increasingly stormy looks on the boys' faces.

After placing their orders, Kubota provided a brief run-down on how Mai had come to be with them. Through the entire account, Taki's eyes barely left Mai, and lingered on her even after Kubota had finished. He didn't seem to realize that Kubota was no longer speaking.

The silence stretched until Kubota commented conversationally, "You know, they shoot wolves that get overly familiar with house pets."

"What? Don't you think she can handle herself?"

"Oh, I know she can. I would just shoot you as a preventative measure. So, you said you had some information for us?"

With a sigh and a wink that made Mai blush attractively, he turned his attention to the boys.

"There's some crazy rumors floating around about the American military base. I haven't been able to confirm anything yet, but word on the street is that they're conducting experiments." He paused dramatically before adding, "_Human_ experiments."

The effect he was going for fell flat as the waitress chose that moment to plunk their orders unceremoniously in front of them.

As she left, Taki muttered a disgruntled, "Do none of them have any sense of timing at all?"

Kubota chuckled.

"So that's it?" Tokito mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. He swallowed before continuing, "You dragged us out here to tell us that the Americans may or may not be behind experiments that might not have anything to do with W.A. at all?"

"Oh, I don't think Mr. Lone Wolf would involve us unless he was pretty sure about a connection. Right, Taki-san?"

Takizawa, who had been watching Mai deftly fish an onion ring apart from its fellows to cool, dragged his attention away from her with an effort.

"That's right. I've got someone on the inside who's working on the details, but she has to be careful."

"She?"

"Yeah. Sweet little nurse they hired to help with translating Japanese for patients."

"Wait. Why would they have non-English-speaking patients on the military base? Don't they only treat the soldiers stationed there?"

"Ah," Taki winked at Tokito, "_that's_ the question, isn't it?"

"Hm. The training of soldiers is a big expenditure for any government. I doubt they'd want to use their troops for experiments that would likely kill them."

"Not that they need to, right? Not with all the runaways and delinquents in Yokohama."

Kubota pondered that. "Kidnap some for on-site testing and release the drug on unsuspecting addicts as a field test. That seems to tie together the pieces we have."

"Doesn't it, though? But, like I said, none of this is confirmed yet."

"We have every faith in you, Taki-san."

The remainder of the meal was filled with small talk and attempts by the boys to redirect Takizawa's attention away from Mai when he became a little too intent on her.

They had just parted ways outside the restaurant when Kou called.

"Would you mind coming by?"

"No problem. What's up?"

"Two things, actually. First, I have a job for you. The second concerns Mai."

"Okay. We're not too far. Be there shortly."

Kou greeted them with his usual politeness when they arrived.

"What have you got for me today, Kou-san?"

"A delivery. The customer wants it late."

"No problem."

"Many thanks."

They each chose a stool to perch on and Kou served them all tea. He watched with interest at Mai deeply inhaled the steam before taking a sip and holding it in her mouth, savoring it before she swallowed.

"It's so nice to find someone who can truly appreciate a cup of fine tea."

"She's really good with spices, too. Kubo-chan's curry tastes so much better after she's dumped stuff in it."

"That's true," Kubota conceded with a small smile.

"Fascinating. You know, I've been thinking a great deal about her."

"I wouldn't expect any less from you, Kou-san. Any conclusions?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses, gathering his thoughts. "It seems to me that Mai has been trained, if not outright engineered, for a specific purpose and, if that is the case, she's very, very valuable."

"Makes sense."

"Bearing that in mind, I believe it would be wise to microchip her."

Tokito exploded. "What? Like a _dog?"_

Kubota ignored the outburst. "Hm. I think that's worth considering. I assume the chip would be traceable?"

"Naturally. The chip I'm proposing is brand-new technology not available through more… mainstream establishments."

"Oh. So, if someone took her, we'd be able to find her?"

"Exactly."

"Well, that would be alright, I guess."

Kubota wondered if Tokito, like him, was remembering the Izumo kidnapping incident.

"Well, I suppose the decision is Mai's." Kubota turned to her. "What do you think?"

She sat thinking a long moment. When she finally nodded, Kubota thought she seemed somewhat distracted.

"You okay?"

She gave him an unreadable look, then her eyes lost focus and she doubled over, toppling from the stool. Kubota and Tokito between them managed to ease her to the floor, where she curled on her side, fists tight against her chest, eyes clenched, her breathing ragged.

With some effort, Kubota managed to turn her onto her back, some corner of his brain registering gratefully that Kou was closing up the shop. He tried to move Mai's hands, but she grabbed his forearm, guiding his hand to her breastbone and pulling hard.

Not knowing what else to do, he followed the prompt, pressing down on her. Under his hand, her heartbeat skipped, then pounded, then skittered erratically again, sometimes stopping altogether for seconds at a time before racing back to life.

He barely heard Tokito's harrowed whisper above Mai's uneven panting.

"What's wrong with her?"

From the strangled sound, Kubota figured Tokito was having the same visions of exploded bodies that he himself was desperately trying to ignore.

"I don't know."

Kou was suddenly beside him, applying a stethoscope around the hand pushing against Mai's chest. His expression was grim as he listened, then eased somewhat as Kubota felt her heartbeat begin to find a steadier rhythm.

Gradually her death-grip on his arm relaxed and her breathing evened out until she let him go, hands falling limply to the floor, eliciting triple sighs of relief.

Then, as Kou removed the stethoscope, Kubota surprised them all by scooping Mai up and pressing her to his chest with trembling arms. Tokito scrambled to his side, wrapping them both in a hug, murmuring softly to Kubota.

Kou stood aside, giving them the time and space they needed.

They stayed that way, a rare tableau, until Kubota finally stirred and Tokito let him go. Kou watched Mai's shadowed eyes find Kubota's face and she offered him a small, tired smile, which he slowly returned.

"Kubota-kun, would you mind bringing her to the back?"

With considerable help from Tokito, he regained his feet without relinquishing his hold on Mai. They followed Kou into what served as the doctor's examination room.

"What happened, Kou-san?" he asked as he laid the girl on the gurney the doctor had ferreted out from some secret place.

Kou listened intently with his stethoscope again before answering, "It would take more advanced equipment than I have here to make certain, but I believe I can make an educated guess based on what we already know.

"First, all of the victims so far, save one, have died from massive internal damage, apparently caused by their organs rapidly increasing in size. Exploding, if you will. Second, all of the victims have been adults.

"Now, I believe there's strong evidence to support that both Mai and Tokito were started on W.A. very young, but Mai probably earlier. My theory is that the drug worked _with_ their bodies, which were still in the growing phase. The victims were, for the most part, already grown and so reacted badly to the change the drug was trying to induce.

"For Mai, I believe this translates into an internal 'growth spurt' of sorts."

"But she's gonna be okay, right?"

"She'll likely be weak for a few days while the rest of her body adjusts, but, yes, she should be just fine."

Kubota felt as relieved as Tokito looked. "Anything special we should do?"

"Keep her warm and hydrated, make sure she eats. No strenuous activity."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Now," Kou addressed Mai, "are you still up for the microchip?"

She nodded.

Kou smiled at her. "Good. Normally I would wait until my patient is feeling better, but I feel time is of the essence."

He removed what appeared to be an ordinary syringe from its vacuum packaging. "Now, unlike chips that hold information, this is simply a transmitter, so placement isn't as critical."

They decided the best, most unobtrusive place for the chip was high on the back of her neck, just inside the hairline.

Kou helped her sit up and administered the injection. Mai winced, eyes watering.

"You okay?"

She nodded, reaching to cautiously touch the new bump.

"Hey, quack," Tokito drew their attention, but he wouldn't look at them. "Do me, too."

Kubota and Kou raised their eyebrows at each other.

"Of course."

Another syringe, another moment, and Tokito's eyes were watering, too.

"Damn, that stung!" Then, "Whoa!" as Mai stumbled off the gurney to throw her arms around his neck.

Kubota watched them indulgently before asking, "So, how do we track them?" 

Kou handed him a device he'd been fiddling with.

"With this."

Kubota checked the screen to find a map of the neighborhood with a dot overlaid, blinking alternately red and blue.

"It's only showing one dot since they're so close together, but the red is Mai and Tokito is blue." He handed Kubota a charger. "I have one as well, as a backup."

"Thanks. What do I owe you?"

Kou cast a fond glance at Mai and Tokito. "It would be a terrible loss for all concerned if either of them were to disappear, so, "he turned to Kubota, "no charge."

Kubota gripped the tracking device a little tighter and, with an earnestness Kou rarely heard from him, said again, "Thanks, Kou-san."

"The pleasure's all mine."

"I'll get Mai settled at home and then come back to take care of that delivery."

"Of course."

Kubota turned to where Tokito had perched Mai back on a stool, noting that she still looked pale and very, very tired.

"Think you can walk home, kitten?"

She thought a moment, then gave him a cautious nod.

"Good. If I get into the habit of carrying you everywhere, it might draw more attention than I think is safe."

She nodded with more confidence and, with that, they took their leave.

The walk home was slow, but steady, although Mai ended up leaning on Tokito by the time they reached their building. The doors of the elevator slid closed before she allowed her knees to buckle, Tokito catching her awkwardly and nearly falling over himself. Kubota came to their collective rescue and carried Mai the rest of the way, knowing they were safe from prying eyes.

Kubota got her settled on the couch and made sure there was enough of _something_ for them to eat for dinner before announcing, "I'm headed back to Kou's for that delivery. Call me if anything happens."

Tokito looked nervous. "Okay."

"You can call Kou, too, if it's something that can't wait for me."

For once, Tokito seemed relieved to know that the doctor was on call for them.

As he left, Kubota thought hopefully, 'Maybe he'll sleep tonight.'

The job, thankfully, went off without a hitch and Kubota returned home, unscathed, in the wee hours of the morning. He paused a moment outside the door, listening, but there was none of the usual television blare that indicated the insomnia of his partner. He opened the door quietly and stepped inside.

He found the TV on, a salesman shouting silently about the virtues of some new wonder product and providing the only light in the room.

In the flickering dimness, he could see that the couch had been pushed aside to make room for a nest of blankets on the floor. Kubota's relief that Tokito had slept faded as he approached and the details made themselves clear.

Both his cats were asleep under the blankets, Tokito's head resting on Mai's shoulder. Kubota could see the outline of his arm across her chest. Her face was turned toward his, her fingers buried in his hair.

Kubota stood silently over them, a dozen different emotions boiling up within him, all unpleasant. He was unsure which he should be feeling.

Mai stirred and blinked sleepily before she registered him standing there and jumped a little. There was a moment of fear on her face before she recognized him and Kubota found himself uncharacteristically, yet perversely, pleased by it.

Something of his emotions must've shown on his face because she looked down, taking in her rather compromising position with Tokito before returning her uncertain gaze to Kubota.

They regarded one another for a long moment until Tokito, perhaps reacting to the tension in the room, shifted. Mai winced.

That was all it took to set Kubota in motion, kneeling down and drawing the blanket back to reveal Tokito's claws dug into her bloody shoulder.

He maneuvered Tokito off to the side, somehow managing to not wake him, and led Mai to the bathroom.

After blinking blindly in the abrupt light for several seconds, Kubota pulled out the med kit and took a closer look at the injury, moving aside the fabric where Tokito's claws had sliced through.

"Nightmare?" he asked as he began to gently clean the wound.

She nodded, wincing again at the sting of his ministrations.

"Sorry," he said. Then, again, "Sorry."

She gave him a soft smile and shook her head. It was then that he noticed the shadows under her eyes, the chalkiness of her complexion.

"Hasn't been the best day for you, has it?"

She gave a rueful little snort and shook her head again.

He finished taping down the gauze and asked, "Mind if I steal your spot?"

That earned him a genuine, if tired, smile and she shook her head once more.

"Thanks." He shut off the light and admonished, "Go get some sleep," before opening the door.


	10. Chapter 10

Kubota woke to Tokito's frantic, "Kubo-chan! KUBO-CHAN!"

"Hn?" It took him a second to remember why they were sleeping on the floor in the living room.

"Where's Mai? Oh, god, I think I hurt her last night, but I don't really remember. Where is she? Did you see her? Is she okay?"

"Shhh," Kubota soothed, pulling Tokito back down into the blankets. "Yes, I saw her. She's fine. I patched her up and sent her to sleep in her own room."

"So I did hurt her."

"A little, yeah."

Tokito sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I had a nightmare and she woke me up, but I thought she was… someone else, I guess and I…I thought I had to get away and I… oh, god."

"It's alright. She's fine. And she seemed to understand, so don't worry about it."

"Okay." Tokito's answer was quiet and Kubota could tell he was still worrying about it.

"How long do you think she's gonna sleep?"

Kubota looked around. Judging by the angle of the light seeping between the curtains, it was approaching noon.

"Hm. Good question. Should we try coaxing her out with breakfast?"

Tokito visibly brightened. "Yeah!"

They headed toward the kitchen, leaving the blankets to be dealt with later, and started pulling pans out of cupboards and food out of the fridge.

Kubota had bacon snapping in one pan and eggs frying in another when Tokito let out a soft, "Oh." He turned to find Mai curled up in their abandoned blankets, watching them sleepily. Tokito all but pounced on her.

"Are you okay?"

She gave him a somewhat bewildered nod.

Tokito knelt in front of her, head bowed, the very picture of contriteness. "I'm really, really sorry."

She tilted her head quizzically.

Apparently catching the movement in his peripheral vision, he continued, "I hurt you last night. And I could've hurt you a lot worse. Mai, I…" he finished in a whisper, "I could've killed you."

She reached out and tilted his chin up, shaking her head at him earnestly. He pulled out of her grip and hung his head again, contemplating his clawed hand. "Maybe I _should_ just cut it off," he muttered.

Mai's eyes flew wide and she grabbed his hand with another emphatic head shake. She then struck him speechless by leaning over it and pressing her lips to his palm.

He realized that he could feel her pulse throbbing under his claws. One unintended movement, one accidental twitch and he could…

"Mai…"

The look of complete trust she lifted to him had him pulling her into a desperate bear hug until he remembered her shoulder and let her go as if she'd burned him.

"Gah! Sorry!"

But she just gave him a wincing sort of smile and shook her head again.

They sat there for a moment and Tokito seemed to be trying to find something to say. Finally, he asked, "So, do you ever have nightmares?"

Kubota stopped, egg-laden spatula forgotten in mid-air, to give his full attention to the conversation.

Mai looked as though the question had taken her by surprise. Her smile faded and she looked away before nodding.

The spatula clattered back into the pan. 'How many nights,' Kubota thought as he moved the pan off the burner, 'has she woken up screaming and we never heard her?' The idea was enough to drive him to her side.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

She considered the question before fishing around in the blankets and pulling out her phone. [I didn't want to bother you with something you couldn't do anything about.]

Kubota ran a thumb over her cheek. "It's okay. Bother us." But she only looked troubled.

Tokito, whether to distract her or get some tips for himself, Kubota wasn't sure, asked, "So, what do you do when you have a bad dream?"

The boys exchanged confused glances as Mai stood and headed back to her room and began pulling papers out from under her bed. She brought them out and handed them to Tokito. Kubota peered over his shoulder as he flipped through the drawings, all of dark, incomplete environments and people, as if she couldn't bring herself to reproduce the whole of any of it. Pieces of chain-link fence and shackles were common subjects, as well as an eye here, half a sneering smile there. And then Kubota realized that it wasn't _people_ she was drawing, but a single individual. 'Akira,' he thought darkly. He took the sheaf of papers and picked out just the human depictions before handing the rest back to Tokito, who began to study them more intently.

"Recognize anything?" Kubota wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Some of it, a little. I think I've dreamed about some of this stuff before, but I'm not positive."

Kubota breathed a sigh of relief as his phone buzzed with a message. [BTW, I'm almost out of charcoal.]

He smiled at Mai, who grinned back sheepishly. "Well, we'll have to get you more, then." He waved his stack of drawings at her. "Mind if I keep these?"

She studied him a moment before shaking her head.

"Thanks."

A few days later, Tokito returned from the arcade to find Kubota alone in the apartment.

"Where's Mai?"

"7-Eleven."

"By herself?"

"Yep. She wanted to go."

"Oh." Tokito shifted from foot to foot, obviously uncomfortable but reluctant to second-guess Kubota. "How long has she been gone?"

Kubota frowned at the clock, realizing he'd lost track of time. "Almost an hour."

Tokito dug out his phone and texted a quick message. They were both relieved when his phone rang an almost immediate reply.

[Sorry. Home in the shake of a tail. ;)]

"What the hell does _that_ mean?"

Kubota came up behind him and read the message over his shoulder, then stiffened.

"Kubo-chan?"

"She's being followed."

Tokito reread the message and swore as the full meaning made itself clear. He began to pace. "And she didn't say where she is!"

"Yeah, I don't like it either, but she seems to think she can handle it."

"Do _you_ think she can handle it?"

Kubota took a drag on his cigarette before answering, "After seeing her fight, yeah, I do." He sighed and added, "I just wish she didn't have to."

Tokito nodded agreement. "And she'll call if she gets in trouble, right? Like she did last time?"

"I'm sure she will," Kubota answered, although he really wasn't sure at all.

Several tense minutes ticked by before Tokito's phone rang with another message. [Roof, pls.]

Tokito sprinted out the door, Kubota hard on his heels. A shrill whistle drew their attention to the roof of the adjacent building, where Mai stood, waving at them cheerily.

"Dammit, Mai! What the HELL were you thinking?"

Mai's face fell and she stared at Tokito stonily until voices drifting up from the alley caught her attention and she backed away from the roof's edge.

Kubota clapped his hand over Tokito's mouth ('Preventative measure,' he told himself) and drew him away from their own ledge.

They stayed that way, listening to the voices below until the eventually faded into the distance. Kubota motioned for Mai to stay where she was and peered cautiously over the side.

"Are they gone, Kubo-chan?"

"Looks like it."

Kubota looked over to let Mai know the coast was clear, only to find her lobbing a tied-off convenience store bag straight at Tokito on a trajectory that seemed to indicate that she intended to hit him with it. Tokito caught it at the last second, then dropped it as his expression went from angry to horrified and he shouted, "Mai, NO!"

Kubota turned back just in time to see her launch herself from the other roof and he watched, thunderstruck, as she followed the bag's flight through the air.

She would've made it, too, except that the other building wasn't quite as tall as theirs. Kubota was in motion as she slammed against the retaining wall, claws scraping for purchase. He reached her before she lost her grip and grabbed her arm, discovering Tokito there, grabbing the other. Together, they hauled her to the safety of the roof, where they collapsed in a heap.

Mai's laugh surprised them both.

Kubota chuckled, understanding the giddiness that an adrenaline rush could evoke, not to mention that she'd _made_ it, alive and in one piece and that's what mattered.

Tokito apparently didn't see it that way. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "What the HELL was that, Mai?"

"Tokito."

The shaking stopped, but Tokito didn't let her go. "That was so stupid! What were you thinking?"

The stony look returned to her face and she broke out of his grip with a strength that seemed to surprise him. She glared at him a moment before storming to the other side of the roof. She looked over the side, adjusted her position and hopped over.

Kubota's heart jumped before he heard her feet hit the fire escape with a loud clang, followed by a series of receding rattles as she descended.

Tokito raced over. "Mai!"

There was a brief pause before her footsteps continued.

"Shit."

Kubota watched him stride past, back into the apartment then out the front door, leaving him to pronounce a bemused, "Huh," to the empty roof.

Kubota was immersed in the newspaper, enjoying the rare quiet. His cats had been gone awhile, but he figured they needed to work this out on their own. He took a sip of coffee and flipped the page, thinking that the lack of usual activity was nice in an odd sort of way. The ringing of his phone actually made him jump a little.

The text had him bolting out of his chair, knocking it over, and leaving the paper to soak up his spilled coffee.

[Ambushed. T hurt. Kou's.]


	11. Chapter 11

As Kubota approached the shop, he saw that Kou had closed up. Just as he was about to pound on the door, though, it opened. He shoved in, nearly knocking Mai over, and headed straight to the back room, leaving the girl to lock the door again behind him.

He found an ashen-faced Tokito stoically enduring Kou's stitching of a long, deep cut that ran from wrist to elbow.

"What happened?"

"I caught up with Mai and we argued." At Kubota's raised eyebrow, he amended, "Okay, I _yelled_ at her and, well, we weren't really paying attention and a bunch of guys jumped us." He hissed as the needed plunged though his skin again. "We would've been fine if my hand hadn't," he glanced at Kou, "gone stupid."

The doctor's hand stopped. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"No."

Kou let out a longsuffering sigh, finished the last stitch and began to bandage Tokito's arm.

"Kubo-chan." There was a pause that commanded Kubota's attention. "They'd have killed me if Mai hadn't been there. We were down to the last two guys before I weirded out. That's when _this,"_ he indicated the bandaged arm, "happened. Mai took that guy out, but then the last guy came out of nowhere with a baseball bat and I… I couldn't do _anything!_ And he was gonna… and then Mai… and he hit her, Kubo-chan! He was gonna hit me and she made him hit her instead."

Kubota tried to ignore the horrible sinking feeling in his gut, like he'd just run off a precipice. "She's okay, though, right? I mean, I just saw her."

"I don't know." His eyes were filled with misery. "He hit her so hard I thought she wasn't going to get up again."

"Where?"

"Across her back."

Kubota turned to investigate, only to find that Mai had not followed him. He went to find her.

She was lying on the bench in the shop, staring vacantly into the room. She didn't acknowledge him until he said her name and knelt beside her.

"You okay?"

Her only response was to stare into the distance again.

Kubota heard Kou's efficient steps behind him and shifted to give the doctor room. Tokito came up beside him, arm in a sling, and they watched as Kou helped Mai sit, then checked her pupils and gently moved her head this way and that, a look of deep concentration on his face.

"Would you allow me to examine your back?" He held out his hand and she took it with a weary nod, allowing him to lead her to the spot just vacated by Tokito.

Now that he was paying attention, Kubota saw how gingerly she carried herself, how stiff her movements were. As she settled, he saw that the bottom of her shirt was torn and ragged. "What happened to her shirt?"

"She tore it up to wrap my arm."

'That was her favorite,' he thought and determined, at the first opportunity, to get her a new one. Or three.

Then Kou revealed her back and all thoughts of a pleasant shopping day fled. Angled from one shoulder down to the lower ribs on the other side was an angry-looking bruise, purple darkening to black over her spine and fading through a myriad of colors to yellow at the outer edges.

"Holy shit." Tokito's voice cracked a little on the statement.

"I'm going to check for broken bones. Kubota-kun, you may want to hold onto her."

Kubota positioned himself in front of Mai, unsure where the doctor expected him to find a grip that wouldn't cause her more pain.

The point became moot at Kou's first prodding touch. Mai flung herself at him with a gasp and all he could do was catch her as best he could. For the next few minutes, he stood with Mai clutching at him, digging holes in his shirt with her claws. Tokito stood next to him and their voices were a duet of low, soothing noises as Kou worked his fingers over her back, assessing the damage.

"Remarkable," he pronounced as he pulled her shirt back down. "Other than the bruising, there seems to be no damage at all."

Kubota barely heard him, noticing only how Mai slumped against him, trembling. His phone chose that inopportune moment to ring. He considered ignoring it, but Tokito took Mai awkwardly from him so he could answer.

"Makoto, you need to come to the station."

"Now?"

"Yes. Your reporter friend brought in something you need to see."

Kubota sighed. "Okay. Let me drop Mai off at home…"

"No. It only affects you because it affects her. All three of you need to come."

Kubota's gaze traveled over his cats, both injured, both exhausted.

"You sure this can't wait until tomorrow?"

"I don't think it can."

Kubota sighed again. "We're on our way."

Tokito eyed him suspiciously. "On our way where?"

"Kasai's got something that can't wait."

"You can't be serious."

"Wish I wasn't."

"Is this absolutely necessary, Kubota-kun?"

"Well, Kasai seems to think so."

Kou frowned. "Then tell him that I don't want him to keep them long. They need rest."

"Will do. Thanks, Kou-san."

"My pleasure, as always."

The train ride to the station wasn't as bad as Kubota had feared. They found a free bench and he ended up with a cat asleep on each shoulder. He felt guilty prodding them awake as their stop neared, but relieved that they both appeared a bit more energetic after the brief rest.

Kasai was waiting for them. His eyebrows shot up at the state of Tokito and Mai. "What happened?"

"They've had a really bad day. Can we get on with this?"

"Right. Come with me."

He led them through a warren of hallways, places Kubota had never been. He smiled amiably at a particular officer who watched him with ill-disguised hostility.

Kasai finally stopped before a door marked "Firing Range" and badged it open. The place was deserted.

After closing and locking the door, he handed Kubota a folder. "That's what Takizawa brought us." Inside were photocopies of what appeared to be photographs of documents. Upon closer examination, Kubota discovered they were case notes. On one page, a younger version of Tokito stared back at him with terrified eyes. Mai was on another page, her photo labeled "#77 (Lucky)". In between were other nameless faces, a great many with FAILED stamped across them. He was surprised when Mai's hand appeared on a page, fingers ghosting over a stamped face. Her eyes were sad.

"Someone you knew?"

She nodded.

"Kubo-chan, what does 'failed' mean?" Tokito asked quietly.

A tear slid down Mai's cheek as Kubota offered, "Well, let's just say that all the W.A. cases we've come across were probably failed, too."

Tokito looked horror-stricken as his arm went around Mai to comfort her.

Turning back to Kasai, Kubota asked, "Did these come from Taki-san's contact on the American military base."

"Yeah. Unfortunately, we can't get any more information from her."

"Why's that?"

"She was found murdered early this morning."

"…I see. Was this everything, then?"

"No. There's something else you need to see."

He gently drew Mai away from Tokito, then placed his hands on her shoulders with a sigh. He closed his eyes and two words, in English, left his lips.

"Action Agent."

Mai's eyes fluttered closed and Kasai released her. When her eyes opened again, they were confused and she rolled her shoulders against the pain of the bruise. Then she stood ramrod-straight, focused on some point off Kasai's right shoulder and snapped a crisp salute which he belatedly, and somewhat awkwardly, returned.

"What's happening, Kubo-chan?"

"I'm not sure."

Kasai seemed unsure himself, now that the girl was standing at military attention before him.

"Um… at ease," he told her and she slipped into the more relaxed stance with practiced ease. The detective shook his head a little and seemed reluctant to continue, but offered her a service weapon anyway.

"You know your way around one of these?"

She glanced at the piece and nodded once.

"Show me."

She took the weapon and inspected it, checking the action and testing the sights as the others, at Kasai's instruction, put on ear protection. Mai then donned her own, took a stance at the firing station and proceeded to empty the clip into the target hanging in the distance. Kasai pulled it in, and then sent out another, and another, each farther out, and Mai destroyed each with chilling accuracy. Kubota noticed that she didn't bother with body shots – all her groups centered on the head of the target. One shot, one kill. _Every time._ Judging from the rather chalky cast of Kasai's face, he'd noticed, too.

After the third target, she surrendered the weapon and seemed to be waiting for further instruction. The detective gestured for them to leave the ear protection on – they weren't done yet.

He led Mai to a table where a large black case rested and motioned her to open it. She popped the clasps and lifted the lid to reveal a sniper rifle.

Kubota was well aware of the effect his smile could have on others and now, watching Mai's lips curl up at the sight of the weapon, he suddenly thought he knew how those people felt.

Mai lifted the rifle from its case with something akin to reverence. Then, at a nod from Kasai, she expertly field-stripped it, inspecting every piece critically before reassembling it, slinging it over her shoulder and looking expectantly, even eagerly, at the detective. He studied her for a long moment before leading them out a side door to the range outside.

There were several targets already set up at varying distances, all of which seemed equally impossible to hit.

An officer who'd apparently been waiting for them stepped up, ready to be the girl's spotter, but she waved him away. She settled the gun on the ground, supported on its bipod, and positioned herself, prone, behind it. She focused her attention somewhere between herself and her first target and, after a moment, Kubota realized she was watching the movement of the grass to determine wind speed. She adjusted the sights, snugged the butt of the gun against her shoulder and went perfectly still.

The shot, when it finally came, made them all jump, but Mai calmly made several adjustments before taking out the second, and then third, targets.

They removed their ear covering and the other officer was sent to retrieve the targets as they headed back inside. When the officer returned, they found that each had a single shot to the head. Kasai, who had orchestrated the demonstration, seemed the most taken aback by it. "Damn, the girl is lethal." Mai's smile seemed to tell him he'd be wise to remember that fact.

Tokito shifted uneasily. "I don't like this. Can you turn off this agent thing and give Mai back?"

Kasai ran a hand through his hair. "I did have a fighting demonstration set up…"

"No. We've seen her fight. Tokito's right. We need Mai back. Now."

"Right." He turned to Mai and said, "Agent dismissed."

Once again, her eyes fluttered shut, but then flew open in surprise as the weapon she was still carrying slipped off her shoulder and clattered to the floor. She stared at it in horror, hands over her mouth. She backed away from it slowly, as if she feared it would jump up and attack her. When Tokito touched her shoulder, she spun around in panic before realizing it was him. She allowed him to tuck her under his arm while Kubota made himself a comforting presence at her back.

Kasai approached, cautious under Kubota's watchful eye, and laid a hand on Mai's shoulder. "Do you remember what just happened, sweetheart?"

She shook her head and began to tremble.

"I thought as much."

"What was the purpose of all this?"

"We all, myself included, needed to see the extent of this. To determine if anything was exaggerated or outright false."

"Was anything?"

"No. She really is a weapon."

As if in response, Mai sagged against Tokito and Kubota carefully gathered her up.

"I'm so sorry."

Kubota couldn't figure out if his uncle was addressing Mai or all of them, then abruptly decided it didn't really matter.

"C'mon, I'll drive you home."

As they followed the detective, Kubota wondered at himself and his penchant, lately, for carrying Mai around. 'Then again,' he thought, 'if people would just leave her alone, I wouldn't have to.'

When they arrived in the parking garage and found Kasai's car, Kubota, unwilling to relinquish Mai, folded himself into the back seat. Tokito, unwilling to be separated from them, followed, leaving Kasai to act as chauffeur.

Once the detective had safely navigated into traffic, he said, again, "I'm so sorry, but I felt that a demonstration would have a greater impact than simply telling you what we'd found out."

Tokito thought a moment. "So, basically, the Americans are trying to create some kind of super-soldier?"

"Well, judging from what we've seen today, I'd say they succeeded, at least with Mai. And, to a lesser extent, with you."

"She's more than just a soldier," Kubota observed. "She's an assassin."

"I think you're right. From what I've seen, she's the pinnacle of what their little program is trying to accomplish. And it doesn't seem like they've been able to replicate the results so far. She's _extremely_ valuable and I think it's safe to say they'll stop at nothing to retrieve her, if and when they find out where she is."

"Well, _if_ they manage to take her, which is unlikely, we'll stop at nothing to get her back."

Kasai thought back on the carnage Kubota had left in his wake to recover Tokito and thought that the Americans would be better off just leaving Mai where she was.

_Much_ better off.

They all slept late the next day, but Mai especially. Kubota had expected as much, so didn't become concerned about her until the day started creeping into evening without her emerging from her room.

He knocked on her door. "Mai? You awake?" When he got no response, his concern deepened and he warned her, "I'm coming in."

He opened the door to an empty room. The bed was neatly made and her phone rested atop a note on her pillow. He snatched the paper up just as Tokito came up beside him and they both read:

_Dear Kubo-chan and Toki,_

_I'm sorry, but I can't stay with you anymore. You're not safe around me. Even I don't know what I may be capable of and I couldn't bear it if either of you were hurt because of me. Thank you so much for everything._

_I love you both. _

_Mai_


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this one – this school term hasn't been as conducive to writing as the others were. But the rough draft is complete (yay!) and finals are next week, so I'll have more time to devote to editing the last bit of this and getting it posted. Thanks for your patience!

Kubota read through the note several times, willing the words to say something different, but the meaning remained stubbornly the same.

His fingers rested on the words, "I love you." No one in his memory had ever said that to him. He felt as if Mai's words had found a hidden hole in his heart and filled it to overflowing. It hurt like hell and he never wanted it to stop.

And now she was gone. She'd left them of her own will, believing this was best for them. He was sure she was wrong.

"So, she thought everything that happened was her fault?" Tokito choked out.

"Seems that way."

"Kubo-chan, she's not safe out there. They'll find her, I know they will."

Tokito's conviction hardened Kubota's own resolve and he strode from the room, tossing over his shoulder, "Then we'll find her first."

Kubota retrieved the tracking device. Mai's indicator was an arrow at the edge of the screen, but it told them which direction to head. As they headed out, Kubota fiddled with the device, trying to coax it into revealing more information. He located the zoom and pan buttons while they rode the elevator and adjusted the display to show Mai's dot on the map. She was in motion and appeared to be in the vicinity of a train station. He showed the display to Tokito. "If we take the train, looks like we can catch up with her here." He indicated the station near Mai with his fingertip.

Once the elevator released them, they raced to the station, drawing angry looks and curses as they shoved their way through the rush-hour crowds. Once aboard, Kubota kept a watchful eye on the tracking device and Tokito shifted from foot to foot with nervous energy. They were still several minutes from their stop when Kubota noticed that Mai's dot was no longer moving. He watched closely until they reached the station, but the dot remained stationary.

He suddenly had a very, _very_ bad feeling.

As soon as the doors opened, the pair pushed through the crowds again. On the sidewalk, Kubota stopped only long enough to get his bearings before setting off at a jog, leading the way from street to street, then into a warren of alleyways.

The tracker led them to what appeared to be a private parking lot with a single car parked near the entrance. There was a large group of men in a loose circle around some sort of brawl. Kubota was trying to figure out a way to slip past them when one of the men in the circle stepped in for his turn, leaving a gap. He heard Tokito gasp as Mai turned to face the newcomer, stepping over the unconscious forms of her previous opponents. The man charged she engaged him. Kubota watched a moment, mesmerized. He had never seen anyone fight like that, highly skilled and deadly efficient, but with an edge of desperation that spoke of exhaustion and injury.

He was poised to jump into the fray when he felt the unmistakable hardness of a gun muzzle press into the back of his head. The way Tokito went utterly still beside him told him he was receiving the same treatment. A hand shoved him roughly into the lot and Tokito stumbled under a similar push.

"Well, what do we have here?" an oily sort of voice sneered from the side before the owner, hair matching voice, materialized out of Kubota's peripheral vision. He plucked the tracking device out of Kubota's hand and examined it, oblivious to the battle still being waged behind him.

Kubota fervently hoped that the thug wouldn't realize that the dual-colored dot indicated two individuals.

It appeared that he didn't. "So the girl's tagged, is she? We'll be sure to let our boss know. In any case, I don't think you'll be needing this anymore." He tossed the device on the ground and stomped it into tiny pieces.

He turned to address the fight. "Hey, girl!" Mai glanced at him and nearly took a blow before twirling around and taking out her opponent with a well-placed elbow.

She pivoted back toward them, braced for another attack, and Kubota watched her eyes widen in surprised recognition. She held her position and waited warily, keeping an uneasy eye on the men still in the circle.

The thug sneered at her. "Okay, here's the deal, princess: you come with us, quiet-like, or your guard dogs here die."

Kubota watcher her eyes begin to flicker over the scene, taking in every detail, and he could almost see her mind working through possible scenarios, looking for one that would get them all out of there in one piece.

The twin cracks of bolts being pulled back seemed to settle the issue. She rose slowly, cautiously and her eyes came to rest on him, then Tokito. The look she gave them was so sad it seemed to squeeze his heart until it struggle to beat. Beside him, Tokito choked, "No."

Her eyes went to the thug briefly before she cast them down and bowed her head, defeated.

"There's a good girl." He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the car. He handed her off to a muscular minion in the back and, as he opened the driver's side door, he ordered over his shoulder, "Kill them."

The car rocked visibly as Mai struggled against her captors, landing a kick against the window so hard it spiderwebbed the glass. The minion's hand made a violent movement and Mai was suddenly still.

Behind him, Kubota felt the gun shift down fractionally and he heard, "Shit! Did you see th-" He was cut off as Kubota spun and disarmed him, creating enough of a distraction for Tokito duck out of the way as he took out their captors with two efficient shots. The rest of the group scattered.

They looked up at a squeal of tires. They watched as the car, and Mai, disappeared around a corner.

Beside him, Tokito's mouth fell open in disbelief. "No," he whispered before screaming inarticulate rage to the sky.

As the echoes died away, he paced like a caged animal. "She was right here! RIGHT HERE! We were so close! There's _no way_ we'll be able to find her now!"

Kubota's quiet words stopped him in his tracks. "Yes, there is. We need to get to Kou's."

"The spare tracker!"

"Right. Let's go." He set off back the way they'd come, Tokito at his side.

When they arrived, breathless, at the shop, Kou listened gravely as Kubota apprised him of the situation. He wasted no time retrieving the spare device. He made a few adjustments, located Mai's dot and handed it to Kubota, who studied it a moment. "Isn't that the American military base?"

"It is, just as we suspected." He paused as Kubota sighed and handed the tracker back. "Kubota-kun?"

"It seems they've… _disabled_ Mai's tag."

"DAMMIT!"

"Not to worry. I'm familiar with that area and I know what building she's in, but," he fixed Kubota with an intense, _pay attention_ kind of look, "this isn't like a Yakuza headquarters, Kubota-kun. You won't be able to simply walk in the front door and blast your way through to where you need to be. You'll need a plan of action. Wait here a moment, if you please."

Kubota watched the doctor disappear into the back as he lit a cigarette and inhaled the calming nicotine deeply, watching Tokito try to wear a rut in the floor with his restless feet.

Kou returned a moment later and handed Kubota a set of keys and an envelope, which contained a key card, two official-looking ID badges and a scrap of paper with an address written in Kou's neat hand.

"According to my information, the building where the experiments take place is guarded electronically. The key card will get you in and the badges will get you past the initial security." He indicated the paper. "Go to that address. I have another… employee… who makes deliveries to the military base for me. He'll meet you there."

"I take it _we're_ the delivery, Kou-san?"

"Even so."

"And the keys?"

"A vehicle has just come into my possession. I have been assured that the plates are clean, but I'm still in the process of verifying that. However, I fear we no longer have time for that luxury, so take it now." He led them out the back, where a nondescript sedan waited.

"Thanks, Kou-san."

"Just bring her back, Kubota-kun. I find I've grown quite fond of her."

"I intend to," he answered as he opened the door.

Tokito clambered in the passenger side. "You know how to drive, Kubo-chan?"

Kubota turned the key and the engine roared. He smiled at his partner. "We're about to find out."

He hit the gas, fishtailing into the street. His smile widened slightly as Tokito, spewing obscenities, fumbled frantically for his seatbelt.

After buckling in, Tokito found a map in the glove box and, once he'd figured out how to read it, got Kubota pointed in the right direction. Tokito's navigation got them to the rendezvous point with only a couple of missed turns and only a few minutes wandering lost.

They parked the sedan in the alley next to the address and waited. The sun was just sinking behind the skyline when a military transport truck rumbled up and stopped. The driver, in jungle camo BDUs, cut the engine, hopped out and ambled up to them. "You're my 'delivery'?"

"Seems that way."

To their surprise, the driver burst out laughing. "Man, I've delivered some crazy shit for that guy, but _people _is definitely a first! And, if I know Kou-san, you're probably the most dangerous yet."

Kubota smiled.

The driver's laugh turned brittle before trailing off into awkward silence and he indicated the back of the truck with a tilt of his head. "Hop on in and sit anywhere. The guards know me and, more importantly, know better than to inspect the truck. Oh, and, "he indicated Kubota's cigarette, "no smoking. Unless, of course, you want to blow us all sky-high."

Kubota obligingly crushed the butt under his foot. "Can't say as that sounds like much fun."

As they climbed under the flap, they heard the driver mutter something about Kou and a penchant for "scary sons of bitches".

Kubota couldn't remember a time when it seemed to take so long to get somewhere. In the dark, with the monotonous drone of the engine, it was nearly impossible to gauge the passage of time. He was glad that the truck was enclosed, but the odd gust of wind still found its way under and around the flaps and Tokito was soon huddled against him, shivering.

Each time the truck stopped, Kubota hoped they'd arrived, but the stoplights seemed to be taking perverse joy in disappointing him over and over.

At last, though, they rolled to a stop and Kubota heard the murmur of voices behind the noise of the engine. After a moment of what sounded like friendly banter, the truck pulled slowly forward and the driver took his time navigating a circuitous route that had even Kubota disoriented by the time they stopped.

The driver kept the engine idling as he came back to open the flap. "Okay, boys, this is your stop."

He waited as they climbed rather stiffly from the truck before pointing to one of the nearby buildings and continuing, "That there is the place you want. It's not my usual drop, so I don't know anything about the security or the layout. You're on your own for that."

"I think we'll manage. Thanks for the lift."

"I have no doubt that you will. And you're welcome."

As the truck pulled away, Kubota and Tokito used the receding sound of the engine to disguise their footsteps as they approached the building. They found a patch of deep shadow and watched.

When there was no activity for several minutes, Kubota dug out the badges and attached them appropriately, then took the key card in hand and approached the doors with Tokito close behind.

"Follow my lead."

"Right."

Kubota keyed open the door and strode through, not even glancing at the guard, who started awake at the security desk and watched blearily as they badged themselves through the inner doors.

"Well, that was easy."

"Yeah, but where do we go now?"

"Hm. Where is sketchy stuff usually kept?"

"The basement!"

A few minutes' searching had them at an elevator bank, which also required the key card. Kubota inspected the buttons, finding that there were several levels to the basement. He wondered where else they would keep Mai except the deepest level of hell and pushed the button for the lowest floor.

Tokito shifted nervously as they descended. "Why haven't we seen anyone?"

"Well, it _is_ the middle of the night."

"Yeah, but it's seriously creeping me out."

The elevator opened on a plain, empty hallway which ended in a set of swinging doors.

"I guess we go that way."

The doors opened on a large space, empty but for the cages lining the walls. Kubota was several steps into the room before he realized that Tokito wasn't following. He turned back to find him staring, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, at the room. Kubota backtracked to him.

"Tokito?"

His partner swallowed hard before he whispered, "I… I remember this place."


	13. Chapter 13

Kubota took his partner's face gently in his hands. He could almost _see_ the memories cascading inexorably behind Tokito's unfocused eyes.

It frightened him.

Not knowing what else to do, he simply watched. And hoped. And, for once in his life, wished he knew how to pray, or knew who to pray to.

Tokito stared, unseeing, into the distance for what seemed an eternity before his eyes finally found the face in front of him again. Kubota barely dared to breathe, his heart sinking lower and lower the longer Tokito studied him.

Then-

"Kubo-chan?"

His name, soft on Tokito's lips, drove Kubota to his knees.

"Kubo-chan! Are you okay?"

Mindful of the injured arm, Kubota wrapped his arms around Tokito's waist and mumbled against his shirt, "I thought you'd forgotten me."

"Idiot," Tokito chided gently, ruffling Kubota's hair. "Like I could ever forget you."

"But there was a chance."

Tokito tilted Kubota's chin up. "Maybe there was, but it didn't happen, did it? And it's not _gonna_ happen, okay?"

"… Okay." He allowed Tokito to help him to his feet before asking cautiously, "So, you remember… everything?"

"Yeah." He looked around. "I remember being here and getting away and you and Shouta and the quack and… oh my god. Mai! Kubo-chan, we've GOT to find her before they… they…" he ran a hand through his hair before apparently deciding to not finish that thought. "C'mon! I know where to start looking!"

He darted further into the cavernous space, Kubota close behind.

The walls inset with small barred cells. Most were empty, but here and there frightened eyes peered out at them. Tokito ignored the faces, instead concentrating on the numbers above the doors. When they reached cell 77, they found it empty.

"Damn it!"

Kubota took a moment to inspect the space. The door, unlocked, screeched alarmingly when he pulled it open, but didn't immediately bring anyone to investigate. The smell that assaulted him as he crouched in the cell was familiar to him – it was the same scent that lurked beneath the incense and perfume of the Izumo's shops. The fact that it was emanating from a place where Mai had recently been filled him with a cold rage.

He lightly touched a spot of wetness on the floor and his fingertips came up red.

"Is that… blood?"

"Yeah." Kubota backed out of the cell. "Where else can we look?"

Tokito huffed out a frustrated sigh. "I was really hoping she'd be _here. _Let me think." He paced in agitation and Kubota watched him quietly, feeling the same inner turmoil but reluctant to interrupt.

The tense silence was broken by a thin, soft voice from one of the cages. "Are you Minoru?"

Tokito stopped in his tracks and looked at the small face peering out from one of the cages. He knelt down next to it.

"Yeah, I am."

"Really?"

Tokito tugged off his glove with his teeth and showed the furred hand to the child. "Really."

The eyes went round and the child's expression caused a sudden, intense flashback to the Izumo tanker – Mai's face had looked just like that before she'd taken Tokito's hand.

"Minoru. You came back." With that quiet proclamation, the cavernous space filled with whispers of Tokito's name and he looked around, utterly bemused.

The original voice caught his attention again. "Are you looking for Lucky?"

Tokito smiled a little. "Her name's 'Mai' now and, yeah, we're looking for her. Do you know where she is?"

A small finger pointed to one of several sets of doors. "They took her through there." The last words were a horrified whisper. "Taser training."

Tokito's eyes went wide and he took a steadying breath before replying, "Thanks. Listen, we're gonna go help Mai, and then we'll come back for you, okay?" Then, addressing the room at large, he clarified, "_All _of you." He stuffed his glove through the bars. "Hang onto this until I get back, okay?" The child clutched it tightly and nodded, solemn and wide-eyed, at Tokito.

As he followed his partner out, Kubota wondered just how they were going to manage a rescue of all the kids in the facility, but then decided to worry about it later. Mai was their first priority.

The doors opened into a hallway lined with still more doors, all closed save for one near the end. Tokito silently pointed to that one and Kubota nodded – that seemed the best place to start.

As they crept closer, they heard the unmistakable sounds of a fight. Interspersed with the foot-shuffling, impacts and grunts was the distinctive snapping of a stun gun. Then, during a brief pause, a man's voice barked, "Someone else get in there! And tase her again!"

Kubota figured the man could only be talking about Mai. He and Tokito edged up to the door, arranging themselves so they could both look in as unobtrusively as possible.

Their caution was unnecessary. The focus of everyone (those who were still conscious, anyway) was the action on the mats in the center of the room, where a figure was brawling with a soldier easily twice her size. It took Kubota a heartbeat to realize that, underneath the black eye, split lip and hair that looked like it had been cut with a knife rather than scissors, the figure was Mai. When she turned, Kubota saw that a patch of hair had been shaved and a sloppy line of black stitches marked the place where her chip had been. Sweat dripped off of her and the redness soaking through the back of her tank top spoke of the harsh beating she'd received for her absence. She had what appeared to be sensors taped to her and a quick scan of the room revealed to Kubota a single, out-of-place scientist glancing unhappily between Mai and his laptop.

A quick movement at the periphery of the room drew his attention back in time to see another soldier fire a taser at Mai. The leads seemed to uncoil in slow motion before the contacts struck her back.

He watched her stiffen and she grimaced but, surprisingly, remained upright. With obvious effort, she turned, grabbed the leads and pulled them off. As her muscled relaxed, her opponent took advantage of the opening by leg-sweeping her feet out from under her. She hit the ground, rolled with the momentum, regained her feet and delivered a vicious kick to the soldier's head before he even realized what was happening.

Then, there were no more opponents.

"All the tasers! Together! Go!"

And then Mai was covered with contacts, the leads coiling away from her to stun guns help by half a dozen soldiers. It was too much. She went rigid, eyes glassy, and she toppled.

Kubota went for his gun as Tokito darted into the room. He targeted the man issuing the orders. "That's enough." His quiet voice snapped like a whip.

The man stared at the gun for a terrified moment before ordering, "Stand down! Drop your weapons!"

All the tasers clattered to the floor in unison.

Kubota cocked the gun and watched in satisfaction as the man's eyes bulged. "P-please," he stammered, "I was just… just following orders."

With a toss of his head, Kubota directed him to stand with the other soldiers. Tokito had removed all the taser contacts from Mai, except one, which seemed to have gotten embedded in her upper arm. Kubota turned to the scientist. A name tag identified him as Dr. Shudo. "Help him," he ordered.

"Y-yes, sir." The man grabbed a med kit and knelt beside the pair.

"Tokito, if he does anything sketchy, kill him."

"Right."

Kubota then herded the soldiers back down the hall and deposited them in separate cages, locking them in before returning.

Tokito was cradling Mai in his good arm. She was catatonic, her breathing labored. The scientist was bandaging her arm where they'd had to rip out the final contact.

Kubota tucked his gun away as he approached. "How is she?"

The doctor appeared much more relaxed, almost relieved to be obeying Kubota's orders. "Her pulse is strong and steady. Trouble breathing and loss of awareness are known symptoms of excessive tasing. She should snap out of it soon."

Something that had been clenched inside Kubota suddenly loosened and he crouched beside Tokito to mask the abrupt shakiness in his legs. He couldn't quite hide the tremble in his hand, though, as he reached out to stroke Mai's cheek.

"Mai?"

No response.

"Please come back to us, Mai. _Please._" Tokito's voice was quietly desperate.

Minutes ticked by, longer by far than they needed to be, in Kubota's opinion. They were all quiet, watching intently for any change in Mai.

Finally, she blinked, slowly. Once, then twice. Her brow furrowed, but whether it was from pain or confusion, Kubota couldn't tell. She blinked a few more times as her eyes began to focus. When she found Tokito's worried face hovering above her, she studied it for a moment before closing her eyes and lifting a shaky hand to rub at them. When she opened them again, she seemed surprised to find Tokito still there. She reached up tentatively to touch his face and, when he smiled at her, she let out a little sob of relief. Then she turned, looking for Kubota and, finding him, struggled to sit. He laid a restraining hand gently on her and smiled softly. "It's okay. We're not going anywhere. You're safe."

"Such noble words. Lies, but noble nonetheless."

Kubota was on his feet, gun in hand, in one smooth motion as his cats gasped in unison. He found himself aiming his weapon into the barrel of the other's.

The man in the doorway sneered at him. "So you think to steal my little Lucky away again, Mr. Glasses? Or are you here to return my long-lost Minoru?"

Kubota sidestepped to place himself between his cats and the man's greedy gaze. "Akira, I presume?"

The man chuckled. The sound made Kubota's skin crawl. "What? No honorific?"

Kubota gave him a small smile. "Nope."

Akira's face hardened. "I advise you to step aside."

"And if I don't?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to kill you."

Kubota's smile widened and his eyes went dark and feral. "You wouldn't be the first to try."

Something in his face, or his tone, or his stance, caused Akira to falter for a fraction of a second. In that tiny lapse, several things happened at once: Dr. Shudo darted out and grabbed Akira's gun arm, two shots rang out, and both shooters fell.

"KUBO-CHAN!" Tokito's scream cut through the fading echo of gunshots. He and Mai both scrambled awkwardly to his side and Tokito gently lifted Kubota's head into his lap.

Kubota tried to speak, to say something to ease the raw fear on Tokito's face, to erase the horrible, shocked blankness on Mai's, but he couldn't seem to force any words out. There was a blaze of pain in his side that made it hard to breathe.

"Shhh," Tokito soothed, "Don't try to talk. Just lie still. It's gonna be okay."

The doctor was barking into an intercom on the wall. "I need a gurney in room 6 NOW! And prep the OR – we've got a casualty!" Then he turned and studied Akira, wheezing around the hole in his chest, for a moment before removing the gun from his limp hand.

Kubota felt Tokito clutch at him protectively and watched Mai's expression take on a dangerous cast, but the scientist ignored them and pointed the weapon at Akira's face. "This is for threatening my family, you bastard," he stated calmly before putting a bullet though Akira's forehead. Then he put the gun down, grabbed the med kit again and rushed to Kubota's side.

He unbuttoned his shirt and drew the bloody cloth away. He sighed with relief. "I was afraid I hadn't moved the gun far enough."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"Well, it's still pretty bad – I think his lung is punctured, but we should be able to patch him up."

Tokito's words of gratitude were lost as the gurney was wheeled in and its attendants began lifting Akira's body.

"Leave him! This is the one I'm concerned about."

The attendants did as they were told and lifted Kubota as gently as they could. Even so, the pain caused the room to spin and go black around the edges. Tokito clutched his hand, reluctant to let go. Kubota tried to squeeze his partner's fingers, but just couldn't find the doctor laid his hand on theirs. "Don't worry. This man just saved more lives than I care to count, including mine, and I intend to return the favor."

And with that, they wheeled Kubota away.

Kubota came to slowly with Tokito's face, inches from his own, swimming gradually into focus.

"Kubo-chan?"

"Hey." The word came out as a croak and Kubota coughed, pain lancing through him.

A nearby nurse caught the sound and came to adjust his bed and offer him some water.

"How are you feeling?"

"Mm. Lousy. I need a smoke."

Tokito grinned at him. "Not a chance, Kubo-chan."

Kubota couldn't help but smile weakly back. "Where's Mai?"

Tokito looked down the row of beds and Kubota's gaze followed. At the end of the room was a table where Mai, clean, bandaged and surrounded by children in various stages of the W.A. experiment, was coloring happily. Every so often, one of the children would present a drawing to her and she would respond with a warm smile and a ruffle of hair or touch on the cheek.

"They really love her, Kubo-chan. Just the way I remember." Kubota watched his eyes get a far-away look and was content to wait quietly while Tokito sorted his thoughts. After a moment, he continued, "She used to sing. All the time. It made it better. I remember waiting for the guards to leave so she would start. Sometimes they caught her, but even when they beat her, she wouldn't stop, until one day they took her away and, when she came back, she didn't sing anymore."

Kubota recalled the scar on her throat. "So that's why."

They sat in silence for a moment, watching, before Tokito spoke again. "So, it seems like a lot of the kids were abducted. They've found some of the parents and a searching for more. And since this all came out on the news, families have shown interest in adopting the orphans. Especially Mai."

Kubota glanced sharply at Tokito. "Did you tell them she's already spoken for?"

"Well… not in so many words, but yeah."

Kubota smiled at Tokito's sheepish grin and decided he didn't need to know the details. "So, the news, huh?"

Tokito smiled ruefully. "Yeah. We're kinda celebrities."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, Mai glanced over and, seeing Kubota awake, knocked her chair over in her haste to get to him.

As she gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck, he hugged her back, thinking this whole W.A. thing had been a hell of a ride, but he'd gotten a couple of cats out of the deal and that was okay with him.


	14. Epilogue

Kubota, Tokito and Mai sat in Kou's shop, sharing lunch with the doctor.

Kubota had recovered well in the months following his shooting, although his stamina wasn't what it once was. And, to Tokito's disgust, he'd taken up smoking again.

Tokito had mellowed somewhat with his memories returned. While he maintained his enthusiastic outlook on life, he was less likely to lose his temper over little things. Most days, anyway. He no longer wore his glove, since the child he'd entrusted it to had looked so sad at the prospect of giving it back that Tokito had let him keep it. Not that it made much difference after all the news coverage.

Mai had recovered well from her ordeal and they hadn't seen her "Agent" alter-ego since they'd left the facility. Not surprising, since Dr. Shudo had explained that that personality was programmed to only come out when triggered, either by the activating phrase or my Mai's life being endangered. Kubota sincerely hoped they'd never see the Agent again. And, on a completely frivolous note, he wished her hair would finish growing long enough so they could trim off what was left of the dyed part and get her hair a single color again.

Once the whirlwind of activity on the military base had died down, Dr. Shudo revealed that he'd been secretly trying to develop a serum to reverse the effects of W.A. After news of this got out, he was overwhelmed with offers of help from other scientists and together they created a treatment that stopped the progression of the drug, although it didn't reverse any of the effects. Since they'd been injected, neither of his cats had experienced any episodes of the intense pain they'd once suffered.

All in all, once the media frenzy had died down, their lives had taken on a normalcy Kubota had never experienced before. If he was perfectly honest, he found it rather boring.

The bell on the door jangled, letting in a frazzled-looking Kasai. "Makoto, I'm glad I found you. I've got news." He waited until he had their collective attention before he continued, "Another W.A. body's been discovered."

"What? But I thought the whole operation was shut down by the Americans."

"It was, in Yokohama. This new body was found in Tokyo. The Tokyo P.D. is asking for our help as consultants on the case. You want in?"

Tokito's "Hell, yeah!" was accompanied by a determined nod from Mai. Then they all looked at Kubota.

"Tokyo, huh?" He took a drag on his cigarette and blew a lazy tendril of smoke toward the ceiling. He smiled.

"When do we leave?"

_Fin._


End file.
